Blood Of Shadows: A Tale of Two Queens
by PriscillaPal
Summary: In the sequel to 'Blood of Dragons', Cersei and Margaery use the Shadows against Stannis and Melisandre to take power. But as the co-reign causes trouble for Tyrion, Sansa, Jaime, Brienne and even Joffrey, Jon Snow discovers a secret that could destroy them all.
1. Chapter 1

**BACKSTORY**: In the sequel to 'Blood of Dragons', treachery and savagery, seep into the lives of the players in this story, more so than ever.

It has been a month since Lady Cersei Arryn, after poisoning her boy husband, Robert Arryn with milk of the poppy and fleeing Eyrie, headed to Highgarden, with three of her shadow children that Stannis Baratheon forced her to birth.

Margaery Tyrell, gets permission to accompany a small army to Winterfell to see about Lord Davos, her forced fiancee, who is supposedly imprisoned there. But Margaery slips away from the group, taking three of her own shadow children...

The result is swift and vulgar justice, as Cersei and Margaery return to King's Landing with the shadows that **THEY** now control, and murder Stannis Baratheon and his men. Melisandre disappears and Stannis's only child, his diseased daughter, Shireen, is kept as a prisoner.

The news that there are two Queens and that they are in the form of Cersei Lannister and Margaery Tyrell, makes the people of Westeros wonder if Stannis and his witch queen, were so bad after all?

Joffrey eases back to the fold, and is horrified to realize that his mother has no intention of restoring the throne to him. Nor does Margaery intend to marry him. Joffrey soon sees that he is quite outnumbered by the shadows. Cersei puts out a coined challenge for anyone that can kill the remaining Targaryen dragons. Neither Queen Cersei nor Queen Margaery, have any use for them now that the shadows are there.

But neither Cersei or Margaery, are **REALLY** willing to share power. And as both try and figure out ways to kill the other, the business of ruling must continue.

That means executions. Many of them.

And what of Tyrion and Sansa Lannister? In the previous installment, Sansa had been unfaithful to Tyrion with Sandor Clegane, as he tried to spirit her away from Winterfell and keep her safe from the Shadows. Tyrion discovered his wife's betrayal and had Sandor beheaded. He also had beastly sex with her after the execution, much to Sansa's horror and Tyrion's semi-regret.

Now as Sansa Lannister's belly grows larger everyday with Tyrion's child, they have been ordered to come to King's Landing at once. Tyrion's only hope is Jaime, who has returned to his sister's side with his new wife, Brienne...

* * *

Cersei took the torch away from the guard and nodded, as he let her into Lord Petyr Baelish's cell. He was to be executed in a few days.

Cersei smiled at the whore monger's disheveled state. It wasn't disheveled enough for her. Baelish, best known as 'Littlefinger', smiled tolerantly and allowed the 'Queen' to look him over.

"Your highness. I never took you for one to hold a grudge."

"Grudge? You threw me, a queen, out of a carriage and left her to almost be ravished in the woods. That is more than just a grudge, Lord Baelish. It is a punishable offense. Punishable by death." Cersei smiled just as tolerantly.

"You would be wise..."

Cersei took her torch and burned Baelish's arm! He hissed and moved back.

"**YOU** would be wise, not to speak a word to me! You should have been by **MY** side, when that Targaryen whore flew in here on those dragons backs, destroying everything I had worked for. Destroying everything I had suffered and endured for. I am here because I am offering you quick death, instead of what you are going to receive, if you tell me where Varys is."

Baelish raised a brow.

"Believe me, if I knew, I would tell you for free. I have no idea where is. And as for what happened with Queen Daenarys, what would you have had me do?"

"Die like my father did. You should have died before you became part of her council."

"And yet you did not, did you, my Queen? You befriended her."

"You befriended her** AND** Stannis Baratheon! You tried to school that loathsome child that I was forced to marry, on the ways of love, so that he could one day learn how to make love to me? You will die for that and then some!"

"What of Lord Tyrion, may I ask?" Baelish asked, changing the subject.

Cersei smiled coldly.

"He will join you in death. But not on the same day. Why do you ask?"

"Because I can help you hurt him more in this life. I can help you make him wish you would execute him..."

"Which I plan to, Lord Baelish. I don't want to hear any insipid nonsense from you. And I'm not stupid, despite what you think. You were about to offer me some kind of deal, where in which you end up with my dear sister-in-law, Sansa, thus hurting Tyrion. I want both of their heads. So you will be seeing her in death as well."

And with that, Cersei turned and knocked on the cell door. The guard came quickly and let her out, leaving Lord Petyr Baelish in darkness again, and oddly, thinking of Ned Stark.

* * *

Lady Oleanna Tyrell, shook her head as she sat with her granddaughter in the throne room. She was looking over the list of people slated for execution.

"Tell me, dear, how goes the search for Melisandre?" Oleanna asked, rolling up the parchment.

"She is a witch. There has been no sign of her. I find little surprise in it." Margaery responded.

"And you can't take much comfort in it either," Lady Oleanna told her, "that woman was the first to birth one of those shadows. She probably knows how to control them better than Cersei and yourself do. She is still a threat."

Margaery shook her head.

"I'm more concerned about the growing unrest within the realm. I have to show that we will not be ruling such as Stannis, Daenarys or Joffrey did. And Cersei is making that impossible."

The door to the room opened, and Lady Brienne Lannister was announced. Lady Oleanna and Queen Margaery smiled as Brienne bowed, then approached.

"My Queen. Lady Tyrell. Thank you for seeing me." Brienne said towering over them.

"Lady Brienne, is something troubling you?" Margaery asked gently.

"I would be honored if Queen Cersei and yourself, would allow me to slay one of the Targaryen dragons. And I would do it for free, of course."

Lady Oleanna almost choked! She slowly stood from her seat.

"My goodness, girl, have you lost your mind!"

"Grandmother..." Margaery began, but Lady Oleanna silenced her granddaughter with a look, before focusing on Brienne.

"My dear, you are a Lady. You were one before you married the Kingslayer. And to be honest, there is talk that your marriage to him is not valid, because a member of the kingsguard cannot marry...or queensguard. Ladies do not go around slaying beasts."

"My Lady, you do not understand how bored I have been..."

"That is part of being a lady as well, dear. Child bearing and tremendous boredom," Lady Oleanna said crisply, "but worry for not. Under my tutelage, you will forget all of this dragon slaying nonsense, and become a proper lady."

Brienne looked to Margaery! Margaery smiled sympathetically.

"Lady Lannister, I know what pride you took in defending my late husband. But my grandmother is right. The sooner you accept your true place here at King's Landing, the easier it will be."

Brienne bowed, them turned and walked out of the throne room. Maybe Queen Margaery had a point. It wasn't as if Jaime would've been pleased at such a notion anyway.

She stopped as members of a small army, dragged in the former Lord Davos Seaworth, who's title had been stripped. He was slated for execution tomorrow and he was yelling about being 'engaged to the Queen'.

Brienne closed her eyes at his words. He needed to keep quiet. Spouting off like that would only make his death all that more painful and slow.

* * *

Jaime was waiting for Cersei, as she emerged from the dungeons. Cersei smiled coldly.

"I didn't hear a giant's footsteps. Is your wife sleeping?"

Jaime kept his expression neutral.

"I am sorry, sweet sister, that you feel my marriage to Brienne was a betrayal of some sort. I love you the same."

Cersei looked around, then lowered her voice.

"But it is not the same, is it? You have not been to my bed in the time you have been back."

"Because I have a wife now, Cersei. Something you can never be. I would like to speak to you about this sharing of the throne with that Tyrell girl. It won't do, you know that? You need to restore Joffrey to the throne."

"I have advisors to tell me such things. You guard me. That is all. Have Tyrion and Sansa been shown to their cells?"

Jaime's jaw tightened.

"You plan to execute our brother and his pregnant wife?"

"I plan to execute **EVERYONE** that betrayed me!" Cersei snapped.

"You cannot do this."

Cersei touched Jaime's face.

"And maybe I won't. Maybe I will spare them...if you return to my bed."

"I have told you I am married."

"Oh Jaime! I was married, remember? You can keep your beastly wife! If anything your being married will remove all talk of incest. And as for our son, I plan to marry him off and ship him away. If he had been a fit King, he would've never allowed that Targaryen whore to take everything that was ours."

Jaime said nothing to any of that. Cersei reached for his hand.

"I forgive you for not being there when I needed you. But Tyrion and Sansa **WILL** die, if you do not return to my bed. Think on it."

And with that, Cersei walked away from him just as Gregor Clegane approached him.

"Your imp brother and his wife have arrived. I will seek justice for what happened to my brother." Gregor said, before walking off in an opposite direction. Jaime pressed his lips together.

He needed Brienne right now.

* * *

Queen Margaery made sure she was present, when Tyrion and Sansa Stark were brought in. Bronn had disappeared...

She looked at the guards.

"Remove the manacles. I will take charge of the Lannisters."

Cersei moved into the entry way.

"Actually, they will be moved to the dungeons."

Margaery turned to face her 'Co-Queen'.

"Do you really want the people of King's Landing to think that you not only starve them, but that you mistreat pregnant women?"

Cersei said nothing for a moment, then spoke.

"Fine. Take charge of my sister-in-law. But Lord Lannister goes down to the dungeons."

Tyrion sighed and looked at Sansa, who would not look at him at all. Her stomach was only slightly protruding and they were in a very dark place, with regards to their relationship. Sansa was still angry about Clegane's execution and the beastly sex he had with her, after his murder.

Tyrion had not had it in him to apologize. Why should he? Sansa should not have been faithless! And yet now that the Hound was gone, he felt he could forgive any sin of hers.

Shae was dragged in screaming and Cersei loudly told the guards to take her down to the dungeon as well. Cersei then looked down at her brother.

"You'll be joining your mistress down there shortly." she told him, slyly looking at Sansa to see if that reveal was a shock. But Margaery glared at Cersei and pulled Sansa off in another direction. She just **HAD** to think of a way to kill that woman!

Tyrion moved towards his sister.

"I want to see Jaime."

"I suppose you do. Maybe I'll send him to see you. Or maybe I'll forget you asked."

"We all did what we had to do, sister." Tyrion said quietly. "And somehow I suspect I would still be in this position, even if I had shared my knowledge of Jon Snow's true parentage with you."

Cersei said nothing to that. Jon Snow was still a threat. People were rallying for the true Targaryen heir to be restored to the throne. He had managed to establish a small army and it was growing in numbers. She feared they would have to once again, fight to keep what was rightfully theirs. Then again, didn't she always?

She looked down at her misshaped brother through narrowed eyes, then nodded to two guards. They grabbed Tyrion and lead him towards the dungeons.

* * *

"We're alone, Sansa. Tell me what has occurred?" Margaery asked quietly as they walked down the hall towards the throne room.

"Oh my Queen! I don't even know where to..." Sansa stopped suddenly. There were noises coming from the throne room! Very familiar sounding noises!

Margaery let go of Sansa's arm and threw open the doors!

Lady Brienne Lannister was on her hands in knees in front of one of the thrones, as her husband, Jaime Lannister crouched behind her, pumping urgently! The noise of their entrance caused Brienne to cry out in shame. Sansa wisely closed the doors behind them as Margaery approached the couple. When she reached them, Jaime was just putting on his armor and Brienne, the same ill fitting dress that Margaery had seen her in before.

"Your grace, I don't know what we were thinking..." Brienne stammered. Jaime, of course looked less ashamed. Margaery didn't especially care for his smirk!

"How dare you desecrate the royal room in this way!"

"Well aren't all of the rooms royal, your grace? Hello Sansa. You look lovely as always." Jaime said.

Sansa did not answer him. She moved forward and looked at Brienne.

"My lady, I am honored to finally meet you. There is much that I want to learn from you."

Jaime raised a brow. There was much Sansa wanted to learn from his wife...in what way? Surely not swordplay?

"Both of you leave my sight!" Margaery insisted. But Sansa turned to her.

"I am sure that Lady Brienne was lead astray from her teachings. I would really appreciate it if she could stay and I could speak with you both."

Margaery nodded and gave Jaime a cold look. Jaime smiled at Brienne, knowing better than to kiss her goodbye. He walked up to Sansa and attempted to touch her stomach but Sansa shirked out of his reach. Looking at Jaime now made her loathe him more than ever, for what he did to Bran.

Jaime drew his hand back, bowed and left the room. Once he was gone, Brienne spoke.

"Lady Sansa, my husband does not mean to be so forward. But he loves his brother and is very happy for him. He would only like to get to know you."

Sansa sighed, then spoke.

"I can't think of Tyrion. I cannot even think of the child I am carrying. I can only think of my slain mother and uncle. I was at Riverrun briefly, visiting with my Aunt Rosalin, who has been left widowed. I want to learn swordplay. And I want to hunt down that witch Melisandre. She is just as responsible for my mother's murder, than Stannis was."

Margaery spoke, as she looked from woman to woman.

"This is dangerous talk. Of course I want Melisandre found and executed. But Brienne, you are in a queer place now. You should be content to be Lady Lannister and not an armed guard. Sansa, you are with child and yet all you can think of is learning Brienne's skills. It will ruin your marriages."

Brienne touched Sansa's shoulder.

"The queen is right, Sansa. I must take my leave now." she said sympathetically. Brienne left the room and only once turn to glance back at the two women. It could not hurt any woman to learn the ways of the sword. She shook off such daring thoughts and left the throne room.

Sansa shook her head.

"My queen, my marriage was ruined when I allowed Sandor Clegane to seduce me-twice. And I fear that Tyrion and I will never be able to get past it. Not even for the sake of our child."


	2. Chapter 2

Joffrey was left with nothing to do but wonder about his fate. Wonder about his fate and torment the prisoners in the dungeons!

He held the torch tightly as he peered into the first cell.

His little cousin Shireen Baratheon, had been shown much more mercy than she deserved! She had been given a candle and was reading a book!

"Put out that candle!" Joffrey snapped. The guard down there frowned in disapproval. The Incest Bastard was the one that should be rotting in one of these cells, not some poor afflicted child! But he dare say nothing.

Shireen smiled over at him.

"My father told me that you are not truly my cousin."

"Your father is dead!" Joffrey snapped back. "And he was a damned liar!"

"**SHUT UP, YOU**!" a voice yelled out. Joffrey hurried away from Shireen's cell to find the source of that insult.

It belonged to Davos Seaworth.

"Well,well," Joffrey grinned, holding the torch up, "Davos Seaworth. You aspired too high, did you not?"

"I don't have to answer to the Incest Bastard...son of the Kingslayer!" Davos snorted. "The guards at Winterfell were still going on about how well you took it up the arse!"

Joffrey's face turned red with rage! Someone had burst out laughing from within another cell! He hurried over and peered in with his torch. He saw Lord Baelish in one, asleep...or pretending to be. He then moved to the next one...

"Well, well, well! Uncle Tyrion! Uncle Imp Tyrion! Guard, open this cell at once! I have a hot poker for you..."

Jaime appeared beside him.

"Joffrey. The Queen is looking for you."

"Which one?" Joffrey asked in a scoffing manner.

"Your mother." Jaime replied. Joffrey pointed in to Tyrion's cell, then backed away and walked off. Jaime picked up a torch from the wall, nodded to one of the guards who hurried over to unlock the cell door.

Jaime waited until he and Tyrion were alone to set the torch down and embrace his younger brother!

"How is Sansa? She is well, is she not? Tell me you have seen her?" Tyrion asked, his eyes desperate.

"She is fine. But, I am concerned. About many things," Jaime said, "first, tell me about Sandor Clegane's demise. Gregor has made noises about his brother's execution being unfair."

"What would he care? Really Jaime, he is the one that turned the man into a burned monstrosity!"

"Yes, but why did you have him killed?" Jaime asked again.

"Because he raped Sansa on a horse and then lead her astray from our marriage bed a second time! Jaime...Sansa wants to leave me! She wants to leave me and avenge her mother and uncle's murder! And it doesn't appear to be enough that Stannis **IS** dead! She tried to leave me with Clegane's help! That...that...hound, coddled her ridiculous fantasies of learning the ways of the sword...while with child!"

"So, your wife could not have been too pleased when he was killed? What do you mean he 'raped her on a horse'?"

Tyrion shook his head tiredly.

"I know how it all sounds. As if I am not blaming Sansa. Believe me, I blamed Sansa! But our relationship, our marriage, has turned into more than I could have ever hoped for. And she does feel something for me. But she is young and determined. I fear for the health of our child. And this imprisonment isn't helping." he sniffed. Jaime rested a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I will look out for Sansa and your unborn child. I will also try and smuggle some food down here."

"Smuggle it for the poor Baratheon girl." Tyrion told him. "What kind of a monster is our sister?"

_ The kind that will spare all of you if I resume a relationship with her-one that would destroy my marriage, Jaime thought_.

* * *

Sansa decided to rest a bit before dinner. She was grateful to be under Queen Margaery's protection.

The door to the room opened and she assumed it was an attendant.

It turned out to be Jaime Lannister. Sansa slowly stood up and faced him.

"I just spoke to my brother in the dungeons. I knew you'd want to know how he was faring?"

Sansa said nothing.

"He told me a bit about your marriage. And he seems hopeful that he can turn you back into the innocent that you were, before he married you. Tell me, were you lying with Sandor Clegane when you were our prisoner here?"

Sansa slapped him! Jaime did not move. He would allow her one blow.

"I don't see things as Tyrion sees them. Meaning I am not about to watch you hurt him. You **WILL** act as a proper wife should. That means you will forget about vengeance and prepare for the birth of your child. Yours and Tyrion's. It will be a Lannister and preparations have to be made."

Sansa did not hit him this time.

She spit in his face!

"How dare you come here with your demands! I know what you did to my brother to protect your disgusting secret! You know nothing of what Tyrion and I have! You know nothing of why things truly went wrong between us. You know nothing of honor or decency..."

"Apparently neither do you, since you spread your legs for Clegane twice, and then intimated to my brother that you were 'raped' or lead astray'. If you are 'raped' or 'lead astray', by any more men that are not my brother, you will deal with me, are we clear?"

Sansa did not answer him. Her eyes glittered with hatred. The Lannisters had started all of the trouble that had lead to the destruction of her family. And she was not about to answer him.

"Do you understand, Lady Sansa?" Jaime repeated in a slow a deliberate tone.

The door opened and Lady Oleanna entered. She frowned at the scene she came upon, which looked decidedly hostile.

"Lady Sansa...I hope everything is well?" she asked, looking at Jaime pointedly. Sansa began to move around Jaime, but he grabbed her arm, causing her to wail, then looked over at Lady Oleanna.

"We were just finishing, my lady," Jaime said, then tightened his grip on Sansa's arm.

"Sansa, do you understand?" he asked again.

Sansa nodded, willing herself not to cry.

"Yes. I understand."

Jaime immediately released her arm, turned from her and bowed towards Lady Oleanna, before leaving the room. Once he was gone, Sansa went sobbing into her arms!

"There, there, girl! Courage. There is a reason you have been brought back to us, my dear. We are going to help make sure that only one queen sits on the throne here. Aren't we?"

Sansa nodded against her. Yes, that was the least she could do.

* * *

Meanwhile, there were **MANY** people in Westeros, that were not interested in another Queen much less two Queens! The movement to put Jon Snow, or Jon Targaryen, as people were now calling him, on the throne, was picking up steam.

Jon, in a bold move, had taken Arya, Bran, Rickon, the direwolves, Ghost, Summer and Nymeria, and the army he had amassed, and taken over Dragonstone, the now deceased Stannis Baratheon's former home.

Robb is there as well, having left his wife with the now widowed Rosalin Tully, at Riverrun. Bronn, who escaped being captured, was now serving as one of Jon's advisors.

"So they plan to slay all of the Targaryen dragons?" Jon asked. Bronn nodded.

"One or two of guards have been sending me messages by raven," he replied, "and Queen's Cersei and Margaery are offering coin to anyone that will kill them."

Robb now rolled his eyes!

"I have heard that that have nothing in the treasury. How do they plan to pay these swordsmen?"

"They don't," Jon nodded, "who would really be able to best a dragon? The shadow monster that Stannis Barantheon had posted here was turned to ashes by Visarys. I think this is a good move. For us."

Bronn nodded in agreement.

"Then you will be the only one with a dragon. One that can best those shadow monsters."

"Alright, but I think we are forgetting one thing," Robb said, "we still do not know HOW those shadows are created. All Cersei and Margaery have to do is breed and birth more of those things and..."

"And Visarys will take care of them." Jon said confidently. Bronn said nothing. He didn't especially care for Robb Stark. He had been in hiding when Daenarys Targaryen had returned and took the throne from Joffrey Barantheon. He and others had hid. Now, more than a few were coming back, claiming allegiance to the true Targaryen king with foolish notions and ideas.

To Bronn, Robb Stark was one of those such people.

Arya burst into the room!

"Apologies, but Visarys is gone!"

Jon stood and Robb eyed his little sister.

"What do you mean, 'Visarys is gone'?"

"I mean he just groaned then flew up in the sky and disappeared! What if he never comes back?" Arya asked with worry. She was actually fond of the creature.

Jon sat back down.

"I have a connection to the dragon. I don't understand why, but I do. He knows what he is doing."

"Which is what, Jon? I mean if Visarys never returns..."

"I said he will." Jon said. He then looked at Bronn.

"Is there any news on Sansa and Tyrion?"

"Just that Tyrion and his whore, Shae, are in the dungeons. Sansa's friendship with Queen Margaery has kept her from suffering such a fate. The hope is that Jaime Lannister can keep them all from the executioner's block."

"The Kingslayer is supposed to keep my sister safe? Jon, when Visarys returns let's fly in to King's Landing and retrieve our sister!" Robb snapped.

Jon looked at Bronn and Arya.

"Could the two of you excuse us?"

Bronn nodded and he put a hand on Arya's shoulder. They both left the room. Once they were gone, Jon faced Robb.

"Do not question my decisions in front of Bronn."

"Bronn's loyalties are to the Lannisters! In the end he will do whatever Cersei says!"

"I spent enough time at Winterfell with Tyrion and Sansa, to believe that Tyrion and Cersei, are very different and not of one thought. She means her brother and our sister no good. Bronn's loyalties are to our sister and brother-in-law."

"Yes, about that: now that I have returned, I am the Lord of Winterfell." Robb told Jon.

"And yet you don't dare come out and make a claim, do you? Cersei and Margaery are arresting anyone they can find, that were disloyal when Daenarys Targaryen bested Joffrey. I will get Winterfell back for you, when I become the King." Jon said, smiling at his brother. Robb smiled back wanly.

"I am sorry, Jon. I am just impatient. And sad. I should have done more to ensure that mother did not meet the fate that she did."

"We cannot do anything about that. But we can make sure that she did not die in vain. Your mother wanted me on the throne. We just need to wait until the Targaryen dragons are slain, and then we go in with our army." Jon said.

Meanwhile, neither Bronn nor Arya, could believe their eyes.

The guards had a hold of none other than the deposed queen herself-Melisandre! And she was wearing nothing but a red, hooded cap that draped open and revealed her nudity.

A loud bell rang and Jon and Robb ran to a window and looked out. Robb looked at Jon.

"Is that who I think it is?"

Jon did not answer. He hurried from the room, with Robb following close behind, until they were standing before the witch known as the 'Red Woman'.

"I hope you have not come to seek sanctuary," Jon said in a level voice, "because all you will find is a cell."

Melisandre, oddly, smiled.

"Just as I was hoping for."

"Oh lady," Bronn snorted, "why in seven hells would you say that, hey?"

"Yes," Arya said in a calm voice, "the coin for you is enough to make a poor man rich for three life times."

Melisandre looked down at Arya, as if she found her amusing, then looked at Jon.

"You will never sit on the throne, Jon Targaryen. And I know why."

Robb raised a brow as Jon ordered the guards to take Melisandre to a cell. Her arrival had attracted quite a crowd and Bronn and the other guards shooed them off. Robb then looked at Jon.

"What do you think she means?"

"I think she's angry that Stannis is dead and she is no longer queen." Jon replied.

"She seemed sure." Robb noted. "Perhaps it could not hurt to find out what she knows?"

"In exchange for what?" Jon asked tiredly. "Putting **HER** on the throne? I have no intention of listening to any nonsense from her. I listened to Stannis and it cost the lives of your mother and uncle. I will not be so foolish a second time."

Robb did not respond and Jon turned and walked away. Bronn had overheard some of the conversation and now distrusted Robb Stark more than ever. He could not get it out of his mind that before the Targaryen Queen had returned, Stark was King of the North and had plans to usurp Joffrey Baratheon.

Maybe he still had plans to take the crown for himself? Whatever was going on, Bronn would be keeping a careful eye on him.


	3. Chapter 3

There would be an execution before dining commenced in the royal hall this evening. And the person that would lose their life on this day would be none other than Shae.

Cersei knew it would wound Tyrion to the quick to see his mistress die. After all, whore or not, she had loved him despite his imperfections. And she planned to allow Tyrion out of his cell to watch.

Joffrey now stood before Cersei and Margaery, who were sitting side by side on thrones. He thought they looked ridiculous! He also thought that **HE** should be sitting up high, looking down on these two silly bitch...

"Your graces," Joffrey said between clenched teeth, "you summoned me?"

Margaery grinned! The Incest Bastard had slain her dear brother, Ser Loras. And she still planned to make him pay for that, somehow, someway. But she said nothing. Cersei had business with him.

"My son, I have decided that you should marry."

Joffrey rolled his eyes!

"Really? And who do you plan to marry me off to? Oh, don't tell me: Sansa! Once you execute Uncle Tyrion, you'll expect me to be a father to her imp bastard child."

"You will watch your tone!" Margaery snapped.

Joffrey smiled at her.

"Is it Queen Margaery, Mother?" he asked, while still staring at Margaery insolently. "We never had a proper wedding night."

Margaery looked at Cersei.

"Make him show me the proper respect, or I will call the guards!"

Cersei sighed deeply.

"Joffrey, you will marry Lady Brienne of Tarth. She is also known as 'Brienne the Beauty'."

Joffrey stroked his chin. Brienne the Beauty. That sounded promising.

"Who is her father?" Joffrey asked in wonder.

Margaery's mouth was still open!

"Damn the Gods, Joffrey, you are an imbecile! And Queen Cersei, your attempt to rid yourself of your brother's wife is beyond disgusting!"

Joffrey gasped!

"Mother! You want to marry me off to Uncle Jaime's beastly wife?! Gods, why?"

"Yes, Queen Cersei, why?" Margaery asked knowingly.

"I don't have to answer to either of you," Cersei said in a surly tone, "and your uncle Jaime cannot marry, period. That is not a true marriage. I am doing this for him. He would not want Lady Brienne discarded without someone proper to replace him."

Joffrey's eyes narrowed.

"I would rather marry Sansa or ugly Cousin Shireen in the dungeons. I'd also rather take it up the arse again with a hot poker than..."

Cersei jumped up from her throne!

"I have just about had enough of your ingratitude, boy! You will do as I say or suffer the consequences! Now leave my sight!"

Joffrey clenched his jaw and refrained from grabbing Cersei by the throat. He avoided Margaery's eyes as he bowed, then left the room. Margaery just shook her head.

"You are that desperate to share your own brother's bed again, that you would do this?"

Cersei slowly sat back down on her own throne.

"Do what? I have just told you why I am commanding this. Jaime's marriage is not a real one. He cannot marry, period. That means that Lady Brienne is mistakenly defiling herself, everytime she shares a bed with my brother. I am only thinking of her."

Margaery said nothing more. She had to think of a way to stop this. And she decided she would need her grandmother's council on the matter.

* * *

Tyrion could not believe what was about to happen! Shae was to be executed on this evening? Why? She had done nothing but love him!

He cursed Cersei, as Shae was pulled screaming from her cell. Then his door opened and he was pulled out. Tyrion could see Littlefinger's eyes glittering from his cell door window.

Meanwhile, many within the kingdom were assembled to watch the disgraceful spectacle, that was about to take place. Joffrey liked executions but was a bit saddened that he himself had not called for this one. His eyes wandered over to Jaime and Brienne. The thought of being married to someone so ungainly...he honestly thought about fleeing the kingdom for awhile, until his mother came to her senses.

It wasn't that deep down, he did not understand why his mother was doing this. Joffrey understood why his mother was punishing his uncle. He had been a coward, fleeing Westeros and then slithering back once they had done all the work they had done, to get a foothold back on the throne.

But why him? Why did **HE** have to be the one to make the sacrifice? Why not order his imp uncle to forsake Sansa and marry the bigfooted beast? He watched Jaime kiss Brienne's hand. Maybe...just maybe, his uncle could be used, Joffrey thought. Maybe if he warned him about what his mother had planned, **JAIME** could stop this.

"Why is Joffrey staring at us?" Brienne asked between gritted teeth.

"I do not think the two of you have been properly introduced." Jaime answered instead.

"Jaime, I do not think a beheading is the proper place to make introductions." Brienne argued, trying to weasel out of it. "Oh and look! There is Sansa. I think I will make my apologies."

"For what?" Jaime asked, irritated.

"For what she and the Queen walked in on earlier."

"I heard you apologize when they first interrupted us."

"**THEY** interrupted **US**?" Brienne asked, trying not to smile.

But Jaime changed the subject slightly.

"What Cersei is about to do goes beyond cruel. Tyrion cared for Shae and he is being ordered to watch her die. He will need Sansa to get through this."

Brienne could not quite follow where Jaime was going with this, but said nothing. He continued.

"I don't want Sansa distracted in anyway from her purpose here or in Tyrion's life. Please do not entertain her thoughts in learning the ways of the sword."

"I understand that her condition makes such an exercise perilous. But after the child is born..."

Jaime gave his wife a hard look.

"Darling, I think you have misunderstood. No lessons at all."

"Why doesn't Tyrion try and understand then? With Melisandre's whereabouts unknown, this will always prey on Sansa's mind."

"Tyrion is Sansa's lord husband. He doesn't have to 'understand' anything! He has been very understanding with regards to..."

Suddenly, Sansa stood before them.

"My Lord." she said to Jaime coldly. She then smiled brightly at Brienne.

"My Lady. I was on my way to sit with the Queen and my Lord husband."

Before Brienne could speak, Jaime did.

"I am glad. This will be hard on Tyrion."

Sansa said nothing to that. It would be hard on her as well. Shae was once a friend. But her running to Tyrion and telling him about her and Sandor Clegane, ended that. And Tyrion's insistence that she stay in their household, further poisoned the well. Sansa also suspected that Tyrion had sought Shae's bed while nursing his hurt over her indiscretion.

"Well, I must get to the Queen." Sansa replied and turned to walk off. Brienne stared after Sansa, then looked at Jaime.

"What was that all about?"

"My brother's wife is a child, that is what that is all about. I fear for my brother. He has fallen hard and fast for this young woman. And she has already betrayed him."

Brienne turned so that she was facing her husband.

"I know Sansa has confided in the Queen about the state of her marriage. I was not privy to the details. But I do not get the sense that she is out to hurt Tyrion. I do believe she was forced into a marriage where love came later, but not before feelings for another man had not died."

Jaime smiled patiently at his dear wife.

"Pretty words."

"Really, Jaime, is your brother not blameless? This woman that is to die before us, **WAS** his mistress. She was in his bed while he was married to Sansa. Sansa had a lover as well and soon both will be dead. Sansa is not the enemy here. Your sister is, God help me. And if we do not help Tyrion, soon we will be attending his execution."

Jaime said nothing. He could not tell Brienne that he had been offered a way to make that not happen.

Suddenly, hissing and boos could be heard! Shae was brought through a crowd, looking truly petrified. Her hair was uncombed and her clothing was tattered. But oddly, she was not crying. Not anymore.

Queens Cersei and Margaery stood as Shae was positioned next to the axe-man's block. Tyrion closed his eyes. There would be no stopping this. There would be no begging for Shae's life.

Sansa, who now sat beside Tyrion, looked at him, then looked over at Shae, who now glared out at the crowd.

"**WHORE! THE IMP'S WHORE**!" someone screamed.

Tyrion opened his eyes, then looked over at Sansa.

He reached for her hand.

"I love you dearly, Sansa. You know this, do you not?"

Sansa squeezed his hand.

"Of course I do, my Lord."

"So after this, we will not allow anyone else to come between us. I will not take another mistress. You will not allow another man to touch you. Swear this to me, Sansa. I could not stand losing you. Or our child. Swear it!" Tyrion whispered fiercely.

Before Sansa could say anything, Cersei spoke.

"My good people, as you well know, we are still looking for all traitors that took part in the Targaryen Rebellion. The first of many, will die here today. A whore. A useless one, but a whore none the less. She serviced many men, including Targaryen guards that used information she had when she served the House of Baratheon. That information was used against my son, the former King, to displace him."

Shae looked right at Cersei.

"Lying cunt!" she snapped. "I can barely read! How am I going to be 'carrying messages', huh Queen Whore! **TYRION**!" Shae screamed.

Queen Margaery took over.

"Shae, do you have any final words?"

Shae looked at Margaery.

"You know she's a lying cunt. Why don't you help me?"

"You will not address your betters in such a manner." Queen Margaery told her.

"My betters? I never fucked my own brother! My only crime is that I loved Tyrion Lannister! I loved him even when he threw me aside for Sansa Stark! Sansa, I once considered you a friend! But you..."

Sansa could not stand it anymore! She slowly stood and Cersei grinned! Oh this was going to be good!

"I was a friend until I dared to have feelings for my own husband." Sansa said calmly.

Tyrion, who did not want Sandor Clegane's name brought up, stopped this.

"Shae, I'm sorry. That is all I can say."

"And that is all that should be said." Queen Margaery said, signaling to the axe- man to position Shae on the block. Shae struggled as her head was forced down. Sansa slowly sat back down and Tyrion tentatively reached for her hand again.

Then, the damnedest thing happened...

Just as Shae's head was chopped off, Visarys flew in squawking and belching fire! Shae's body and the axe-man were burned to a crisp! Everyone began screaming and running! The end of Cersei's dress was singed with a fire blast and she screamed for help. Two knights helped put out the fire.

One knight, who was scared witless, just stood still, shocked, as he was killed by a blast of fire! Brienne hurried to what was left of the knight and picked up his sword!

"**COME ON**!" she screamed. "**COME TO BE YOU BIG BASTARD**!"

"**BRIENNE**!" Jaime screamed. Brienne evaded two blasts of fire, then swung and cut deep into the dragons leg before...

Before she was hit with a blast of fire and felled! Jaime ran to his wife with Tyrion following behind his brother. Visarys then flew up into the air high, before turning and swooping down low, casting a large, frightening shadow over the crowd and then...

He picked up Tyrion between his teeth and flew off with him!

"**TYRION**!" Sansa screamed. Margaery hurried to Jaime's side and kept vigil over the now dying Brienne. Cersei's smile grew larger and larger, as Visarys flew off into the distance with her much despised brother.

* * *

It seemed like hours since that vile incident took place. Sansa was curled up in bed, sobbing over her husband. Visarys knew Tyrion. He would not eat him, would he? How could Jon have let that dragon get aloose like that? Why had that happened? Poor Brienne...

The door to her room opened and Jaime entered. He looked haggard.

"Brienne?" she questioned.

"Brienne is asking for you. She only has moments left." Jaime said in a hollow tone.

Sansa got up and quickly left the room. She hurried to where Jaime and Brienne's quarters were, and saw the very badly burned Brienne Lannister, lying on her death bed. Sansa made her way to her and picked up her hand, which oddly, was not that burned.

"Sansa..." Brienne rasped. "Sansa..."

"I am here, Brienne." Sansa replied.

"Jaime...Jaime..."

Sansa looked around and saw Jaime was standing behind her.

"Sansa...your mother was a proud and loyal warrior. Stannis killed Renly right in front of me as on one of those Shadows...he and his witch. Then they killed your mother. She should be avenged...Jaime, teach her the ways of a sword..."

"I am not listening to this! You will be fine! Just hold on!" Jaime yelled.

"To what, my love? I am burned and am slipping away...I can feel it. I love you, Jaime Lannister. My love...my love..."

Suddenly, Sansa felt Brienne's hand slip from hers. She was gone.

* * *

Visarys dropped Tyrion on the beaches of Dragonstone, then flew up and away again! Bronn and few other guards, saw this occur and ran to him!

"Seven hells, my lordship! How did this..." Bronn began.

"For the love of good wine, help me up, Bronn!" Tyrion demanded. "That dragon is out of control! He showed up **AFTER** Shae was beheaded. Before would've been nicer."

"Shae was beheaded?" Bronn asked. "Why? She knew nothing about nothing!"

"Because my bitch sister hates me. And I shudder to think of what will befall my wife if I'm not there. Where is Jon Snow?"

"It's Jon Targaryen," Bronn warned him. "And we're waiting until the other dragons are slain to attack."

"I don't think Sansa has that long."

"Well then maybe we'd better ask the Red Woman."

Tyrion's eyes grew huge!

"Pardon me? The Red Woman? You just said that as if you could put your hands on her right now?"

"She surrendered herself hours ago. She's in our prison talking in riddles."

Tyrion just stared at Bronn.

"What, my lordship?"

"Sansa wants her dead. And there is a large reward for her in King's Landing."

"I bet the fuck there is!" Bronn replied. "But she isn't going anywhere right now."

"We'll see about that. Take me to Jon Targaryen." Tyrion insisted.

* * *

Cersei summoned Jaime to her quarters, knowing he would need some comforting after his giant sized wife had perished.

When he entered her room, he found his sister naked. Jaime ran a hand down his face.

"Not now. Not today."

"Jaime, you didn't just lose a wife. I lost a brother."

"You mean Tyrion? I am supposed to believe that you are actually upset over him?"

"Of course I am! I know I was not the most affectionate sister, but I loved him deep down."

"Very deep, since it was never clear to Tyrion, nor myself, that you felt that way." Jaime answered. "I need wine."

Cersei poured him a cup herself, as he collapsed on a small sofa. She sat down next to him and stroked his hair as he drank.

"You are free. I am free..."

Jaime put down the cup.

"You need to be thinking about **WHY** that dragon appeared here at all. And why did it take Tyrion? Why didn't it kill him just as it did my wife?"

"Because it lived with Tyrion at Winterfell, remember? Tyrion probably mistreated it and it came back for revenge. How would I know?"

"You had best find out." Jaime answered, removing her hands from his hair. He then stood up, bowed, ignoring her nudity, before leaving her quarters. Down a hallway, he ran into Sansa.

"Lady. Why do I find you up and about during these late hours?"

"If you must know, I plan to ask Queen Margaery to send soldiers out to search for Tyrion. Visarys would not just..."

"Visarys?" Jaime asked.

"Yes. That is the name of the dragon."

"Ah. Yes. Your bastard brother named him that?"

"I would assume," Sansa said with exaggerated patience, "that Daenarys Targaryen named him such. Now if you will make way..."

"Actually, I will not. I just wanted to inform you that my late wife was in pain when she made that deathbed request. "

Sansa folded her arms.

"So you lied to your wife when you promised to help me?"

"I don't seem to recall 'promising'." Jaime countered. "Brienne did not know what she was saying. And it pains me that my wife had something so asinine on her mind during her final hours, over regretting bearing me children or our life together."

"Oh well, my lord. Now if you will make way..."

"Oh well? That is all you have to say to me?"

"No, my lord, " Sansa said, "there is this."

And she spit in Jaime's face again!

"**THAT** is for crippling Bran!" she yelled and ran around him! Oh he made her ill! Positively ill! Brienne was the fortunate one to have died before he broke her heart! And she had no doubts whatsoever that he was still sleeping with Cersei...

Sansa suddenly felt the back of her hair being held in a vise like grip, and knowing that she had not escaped Jaime after spitting on him, she began screaming bloody murder!

Jaime wrapped his arms around Sansa to keep her still and she tried to bite him! It was then that Margaery's door opened and Jaime and Sansa stopped their tussling.

A naked Joffrey stood in the doorway. And inside, on the bed, an equally naked Margaery was lounging about.

"I demand that one of you tell me what all of this noise is all about?" Joffrey asked, sounding very much like a king again.


	4. Chapter 4

Before we return to the distasteful scene that Jaime and Sansa happened upon at King's Landing, we must look in on what is happening at Dragonstone...

Robb was unaware of Tyrion's arrival by way of Visarys, at all. He had taken it upon himself to creep down to the dungeons and visit Melisandre. He understood that Jon thought the woman had no information to offer. He did not agree.

He could not help but think about how everything had begun. Joffrey's execution of Ned...his becoming King of the North...then...

It was all lost when Daenerys Targaryen flew in with her dragons and wreaked havoc and gained complete control...seemingly. He could see the look of contempt in Bronn's eyes and others, when they looked at him. They thought he and his wife, Talisa, had run from battle.

There had been** NO BATTLE**! Anyone that had been foolish enough to take on the 'Mother of Dragons' in that battle, no longer breathed life. He kept out of sight to strategize. He hadn't meant for anyone to think he had went into hiding.

He also had not planned for his mother and uncle to be killed, his sister to be married off to Tyrion Lannister, nor his bastard half brother, to be the presumptive heir to the throne. Jon a Targaryen? It did not seem possible.

And yet that dragon creature did everything Jon commanded. Only a Targaryen had that much control over one of those beasts. And now Robb understood why his own father, could not reveal Jon's true identity. The idea of even one Targaryen wandering around these parts back then, would've brought out supporters for Jon, even as a child, to usurp Robert Marathon.

And Robert, most likely, would've had Jon killed.

He held his torch very tightly as he came upon the guard near Melisandre's cell.

"I need to see her." he said stoutly.

"I have orders from King Jon not to let anyone in there." the guard said matter-of-factly.

King Jon? Robb thought with disgust. He knew he should not feel this way, but he did. It was not right. Many of his men had died for him to be named the eventual king. Robb took a deep breath. He just had to tell himself that as long as Joffrey Baratheon was not sitting on that throne, anyone was somewhat better than him.

"My brother is allowing it." Robb replied.

"Your brother? The cripple? You are no brother of Jon Targaryen. Now step back."

"You see here!" Robb snapped. "You will allow me in this cell or..."

"Or what, Stark?" the guard jeered. "You'll challenge me and then run off? I take my orders from the true king of the realm."

Suddenly, the guard began to choke! Robb stepped back, clutching his torch and realized that from within the darkness of her cell, Melisandre was causing this disruption.

So did the guard! He motioned wildly to his keys that Robb took off of him. The moment they were in his possession, the guard seemed able to breathe again. He hurried off wildly, tripping once, then running from the dungeon area. Robb gently unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Robb Stark. The true king of the realm." Melisandre stated. She was now completely naked.

"I see you have discarded your red cape." Robb felt obliged to say.

"Only because I had no pillow. What brings the true king..."

"Please, " Robb said impatiently, "do not play that foolish game with me, that you did Stannis. You no more believe I am a true king than Stannis was."

Melisandre smiled tolerantly.

"I know what you believe, Robb Stark. I know that you always meant to sit on the Iron Throne. Then an unproven claim took that all away."

"Jon is a Targaryen." Robb allowed.

"Says who?" Melisandre now snorted. "No one. He can control a dragon. I controlled them with magic. So taming a beast is no claim, as far as I am concerned."

Robb frowned.

"You controlled the Targaryen dragons with magic?"

Melisandre now grinned!

"I** STILL** am. And I could stop, even from this cell. Then where would King's Landing be?"

Robb stared at her. Hard. He knew he had been right to come down here! Melisandre walked up to him and stroked his cheek.

"Jon Snow will never sit on the Iron Throne. He will never be king. And if you want to know why, then I need your help in leaving this place."

"I cannot help you escape." Robb said firmly.

"If you want to protect your wife, and the child she is carrying...oh...yes, you are wondering HOW I knew that, aren't you? I have revealed two things already, that you did not know before coming to this dungeon. Help free me and you will learn the answers to all of your questions."

Robb said nothing and Melisandre dropped her hand from his face.

"I could be of great help to you, like I was to Stannis. You started the fight for the throne and now someone that is not even your brother, thinks he is close to accomplishing this. Free me and find out who you truly need to fear."

* * *

"How in the devil did you get here?" Jon asked, shocked at Tyrion's sudden appearance at Dragonstone.

"Visarys came to fetch me," Tyrion said wryly, "I must say, it seems fitting that you are here. This was your true father's home."

Jon nodded.

"Yes. My thoughts exactly. Tell me how Sansa is?"

"None of us our well, Jon..."

"It's your Highness, my lord," Bronn reminded him, "he's the true ruler..."

"Yes, yes, Bronn," Tyrion interrupted impatiently, "but practicing saying it aloud, doesn't make it so. Jon, Sansa and I were taken prisoner. The only thing that is keeping Sansa and our unborn child alive, is Queen Margaery's affection for her. I have heard that you have the Red Woman here. She would be a **LOVELY** bargaining tool so that I can retrieve my wife."

"Tyrion, I cannot..."

"Cannot what?" Tyrion asked sharply, "please tell me you didn't just refuse to help Sansa?"

"I am not refusing to help with anything, Tyrion," Jon said calmly, "but I cannot just trade such a valuable prisoner, in order to get your wife back."

"**SHE IS YOUR SISTER**!" Tyrion snapped. "Did we not take you in at Winterfell, some time ago? And at our own peril? We were attacked by those creatures because of you!"

Jon raised a brow.

"You brought some of that on yourself, I seem to recall. I am not saying that I do not care about Sansa's fate. I am saying that the Red Woman is someone that the crown wants very much. And she can be of use to us in securing the throne."

Tyrion looked from Jon to Bronn.

"Are you both mad? You would use sorcery to help you obtain that throne? That would make you no better than Stannis."

Before Jon or Bronn could object, Robb came in to the room. His eyes narrowed when he spied Tyrion.

"What. Is. He. Doing. Here?" Rob hissed. "Where is my sister?"

"Not very safe at the moment," Tyrion admitted, "Queens Cersei and Margaery are keeping us prisoner. But Margaery's great affection for Sansa has kept her from the dungeons."

Robb moved closer to his 'brother-in-law'.

"Why are you here without her? How did you know we'd be here at Dragonstone?"

"I didn't. Visarys plucked me out of a crowd and flew me here." Tyrion replied.

"**THAT** is where that dragon went? He was in King's Landing?" Robb asked, now appalled. He tore his eyes off of Tyrion and faced Jon.

"I have seen the Red Woman." he admitted. Tyrion immediately sensed that this would be a problem!

"No one was to see her." Jon said.

"Jon, listen to me! That woman knows something. She is sure you will never sit on that throne. She also revealed that **SHE** controlled the Targaryen dragons by way of magic. She does not feel that your being able to control Visarys, truly gives you a claim to anything."

"You mean **YOU** don't feel it does, isn't that it, Robb?" Jon asked tiredly. "But the news about the magic is interesting. If she can control them, and I'm assuming it's from afar, then maybe she can be used to kill the remaining dragons."

"She wants her freedom, Jon." Robb told him. He left off the part about Melisandre believing that **HE** had the true claim and not Jon...

"Pardon me, but does no one give a damn about Sansa? I cannot go back to King's Landing without being thrown in chains! I will also be executed...yes, Robb, I can see by the look on your face that you could care less! But I care and so will Sansa! She has to be rescued!" Tyrion insisted.

Bronn interrupted.

"I still have eyes and ears at King's Landing. Why don't you send a raven to my lady, letting her know that you are still alive?"

Tyrion began to pace.

"If the note fell in to the wrong hands, then Cersei would know I am still alive and begin searching. Or worse yet, she might torture Sansa to find out where I am...I will send a message to Jaime."

"You expect the Kingslayer to protect your wife?" Robb snorted.

"Yes," Tyrion said defiantly, "until I can do so myself."

* * *

"Your grace, are you alright?" Sansa called out fearfully. Jaime had slowly released Sansa's hair, as they took in the unnatural looking sight, of a naked Joffrey standing in Queen Margaery's doorway. Margaery put on a robe and joined Joffrey in the doorway.

"Joffrey, put something on."

"Why? Sansa could stand to look at a real man. And my uncle..."

"Do it because your queen orders it!" Margaery sighed impatiently. Joffrey grinned at Sansa, before turning and walking off in the depths of the royal chamber. Jaime stared at Margaery. Very good, he thought. Clearly she planned to use Joffrey against Cersei in some way.

Jaime moved past the two women and entered the inner sanctum, without receiving express permission from Queen Margaery. Margaery was about to call after him, when Sansa turned her around to face her!

"I do not mean to be so forward, your grace. But if Joffrey forced himself on you in someway..."

"Oh, Sansa! Joffrey has not forced me to do anything. I am securing my future as the one and only queen of this realm." she said, touching Sansa's cheek.

Sansa stared at her in horror!

"How is sleeping with Joffrey going to accomplish that?"

Margaery linked arms with Sansa.

"I want you to pay my grandmother a visit. On this evening. You can be a part of this as well."

"Your grace, I **WANT** you to be queen. I would do anything to help you stay queen. But I have to know what has become of my husband! Please, send men to find out what happened today! Visarys knows Tyrion. He would not hurt him."

"He probably took him where Jon Snow is. Sansa, he is an enemy. If I find out Jon Snow is there, I will have to tell Cersei. Also, Tyrion **IS** Cersei's prisoner."

"Please!" Sansa begged. I have to know if my child will have his or her father in their life."

Margaery patted Sansa's arm.

"Go and see my grandmother. Do as we ask, and I will see to Tyrion."

Meanwhile, Jaime confronted Joffrey!

"You are playing a very dangerous game, Joffrey. If your mother finds out you are bedding her enemy..."

"Tell me, uncle, why haven't you killed yourself? You should have, before you allowed my mother to suffer the indignity of having people think she spread her legs for you, willingly."

Jaime's jaw tightened.

"Unwillingly?"

Joffrey sighed, pulling on his breeches.

"I have no doubts whatsoever, that you forced yourself on my mother's person. On more than one occasion. But no children came from any of your beastly attacks. Tommen, Myrcella and myself, are Baratheon's! We look just like our late father, there is no question of it."

There was **SO** much Jaime wanted to say in response to that idiotic bit of drivel, that had just left Joffrey's mouth. But he held his tongue on that particular subject.

"What has she promised you?" Jaime asked quietly. Joffrey smirked.

"The crown, what else? I will be King."

"You will be the husband of the queen, which is not the same as being 'King', Joffrey, you dolt! How stupid are you?"

"Not as stupid as you are, uncle. Before you take up for my mother, you should know that she had plans to force you to set aside your marriage, to that giant beast you were with. She was going to make **ME** marry her!"

Jaime backhanded Joffrey and he fell against a table! Joffrey honestly, had not expected to be struck, so he backed back a little.

"It is true, uncle!"

"Oh, I have no doubt it is true. Don't you **EVER** refer to my late wife by such names, or I will send you crawling to Queen Margaery's bed, are we clear?"

"Uncle, let **ME** make something clear: I will be King again. And when I am, Uncle Tyrion will be executed and you will find a new home in the dungeons. Now move aside."

Jaime clenched his teeth, but stepped aside. He had no doubts whatsoever, that Joffrey intended to carry out that threat. But Queen Margaery Tyrell did not strike him as a stupid woman. And neither did her grandmother, the Queen of Thorns. What were **THEY** up to?

* * *

Lady Oleanna forced Sansa to drink a small cup of brandy.

"It will give the child you carry strength." she said, then watched very carefully as Sansa drank every drop.

"My Lady, I fear for Queen Margaery! Joffrey is an animal! He murdered your grandson and came to Winterfell to murder me! He killed a childhood friend of mine while he was there. Whatever she thinks she's doing, she will not win."

"Of course she will win, my dear. I will help her and so will you. Sansa, you do agree that Margaery should be the only queen, do you not? You have no loyalty to your bastard brother, Jon Snow, do you? I know Lord Tyrion and yourself, gave him refuge from Daenerys Targaryen and Stannis Baratheon."

Sansa slowly set down the cup.

"Daenerys Targaryen would have turned out to be as mad as her father. Eventually. Stannis I loathed and you know why. Yes, Jon is my brother. But I do believe Margaery would be a good and just queen."

"She is trying to be, my child. But she cannot as long as she has to share it with Queen Cersei, who is anything but 'good' or 'just'."

Sansa nodded. She couldn't agree more. Lady Oleanna slowly touched her arm.

"My dear, what Queen Margaery and I are going to ask of you is going to appear to be unseemly, uncomfortable and quite unfair. But you must think of the realm. That is the only reason my granddaughter would sully her bed with Joffrey's presence."

"I understand that she plans on turning Joffrey against Queen Cersei in someway."

"Yes," Lady Oleanna said slowly, "but the Kingslayer could be a problem as well."

Sansa frowned.

"Jaime? In what way? He has no claim to the throne."

"He has lost his wife. Probably the only woman he has ever been with besides his sister. Chances are that Jaime Lannister will return to Queen Cersei's bed. If that happens, he will do anything and everything to thwart Margaery."

"What is it you are asking of me, my lady? I will do anything to help Queen Margaery."

Lady Oleanna smiled wanly.

"I know you would, my dear. Do you trust that I have been around many years? That there are things I just know on instinct?"

"I suppose." Sansa replied, not quite understanding where this conversation was going.

"I am just going to say this, my dear: my granddaughter and I would very much like for you to keep Jaime Lannister **OUT** of Queen Cersei's bed."

Sansa didn't think she had heard her right.

"I'm sorry? I don't follow..."

"Oh I think you do."

"No, I don't! I cannot abide him! And I want to, because Tyrion is so fond of him, but he crippled my brother to cover his incestuous...**THING** with Queen Cersei! And Brienne was too good for him! And he feels the same about me. I just don't see how you believe that my being nice to him, will keep him from conspiring against Queen Margaery."

Lady Oleanna burst out laughing, adding to Sansa's confusion! Then the Queen of Thorns peered at her. No, Sansa Lannister was not being obtuse. She truly did not understand what was being asked of her.

"Dear, we need for you to be more than just 'nice' to him in conversation. We need for you to lure him into your bed."

Sansa slowly stood up, barely able to breathe!

"My Lady," she stammered, "you cannot mean to suggest that I betray my husband with his own brother!"

"You have betrayed him before?" Lady Oleanna pried gently. But Sansa stood up for herself!

"Sandor Clegane protected me, when he could, from Joffrey's viciousness! And the last man I wanted to be married to was a Lannister one! The only reason he was at Winterfell was to make sure Tyrion didn't mistreat me in anyway. I had plans to leave Tyrion for Ser Loras!"

"i remember, my dear."

"Tyrion lied to me," Sansa said, looking away from her, "in order to to put a child within me. Only I started not to mind the marriage bed with him. Sandor Clegane could not hide his feelings for me once he learned I shared a bed with my husband. And I didn't try and fight him either."

"He is dead because he could not control his passion for you." Lady Oleanna soothed. "That is not your fault."

"It is," Sansa whispered, "because by then Tyrion did mean something to me. And I had settled into the marriage. I just fear I will never see him again. I fear we will never have a second chance."

"Sansa," Lady Oleanna scolded, "Queen Cersei means to kill your husband, if he is alive. My granddaughter can send men to find him, but she will be obligated to return him here, where he will surely suffer the same fate as his mistress! Your taking the Kingslayer as your lover, is not 'betraying Tyrion with his brother'. It is saving your husband! You will get him to trust you and the best place for trust is **IN** bed! He will alert you to what Cersei is planning. My dear, once my Margaery takes power, Tyrion will be safe. You both will be safe, as will your child."

"My lady, I am just barely showing! I cannot get Jaime Lannister to show any interest in me!"

Lady Oleanna raised a brow.

"My dear, as I have said before, I have been around a long time. You have not noticed because you have been so wrapped in your own thoughts and feelings. But even when Brienne Lannister still breathed life, Jaime's eyes glanced your way, more than once."

Sansa didn't believe that. Or she didn't want to. And while Lady Oleanna made sense, she did not think she could convince Tyrion, if he ever found out, that she had sought out his brother's bed to 'save him'.

"May I give you my answer in the morning?" Sansa asked dully.

Lady Oleanna nodded.

"Of course." she replied.


	5. Chapter 5

Sansa slept little that night. And finally, she decided she could sleep no more.

She had to leave King's Landing.

Helping Margaery, in that way...she just did not have it in her. And Lady Oleanna could explain her reasoning all she liked. But in Sansa's mind, it still meant that she was being asked to betray Tyrion with his own brother.

It was as she was thinking along those horrible lines, that Sansa's door crept open and a shadow appeared in the room! Sansa screamed and suddenly, a hand clamped over her mouth!

"My lady, it is me, Lord Baelish!" he hissed.

Lord Baelish, Sansa thought, was is in the dungeons below! How did he get out? Petyr slowly removed his hand and Sansa sat up in bed. Moonlight streamed into the room and she could make him out more clearly.

"Lord Baelish? What on earth..."

"We do not have much time, my lady. Your lord husband is alive and I plan to take you to him!"

Sansa's first thought was to be relieved. But then she remembered a previous visit from Lord Baelish to Winterfell. One in which he promised to take her to her mother, claiming they were to be married. Tyrion intimated that he thought that it was a ruse so that Lord Baelish could be inappropriate with her! That and he was supposed to arrive with Cersei. He claimed she had jumped from the carriage.

Now Queen Cersei claimed that he pushed her from the carriage!

"Lord Baelish, I must know: when you made that offer to me, at Winterfell, did you know that my mother had perished at Stannis Baratheon's hand?"

"No. Sansa, Stannis Baratheon stole my wife-to-be from me. The only reason I sat on his council, was so I could eventually slay him myself. You do believe that, don't you?" he whispered.

"I believe you loved my mother, yes. How is it that you learned of my lord husband's whereabouts from your dungeon cell?" Sansa questioned.

"I had help escaping. I cannot tell you whom. But we must hurry. This person helped me procure a ship that will take us to Lord Tyrion."

"But how did the person that is helping you, find out Tyrion was still alive?"

"Lady Sansa, please! We have so little time! You are a prisoner of the throne. I know you feel your friendship with Queen Margaery does not make that so, but it **IS** so! And it will only be a matter of time before Queen Cersei has your head. You do want to see your child born, do you not?"

That was a convincing enough argument for Sansa! She nodded and jumped out of bed. She picked up her cloak and put it over her nightgown. Petyr smiled in the darkness approvingly. If it had been up to him, Sansa Stark could've come to him naked for all he cared!

They then left her room and the castle, in a stealth like fashion.

* * *

Jaime was still awake and was re-reading Tyrion's letter, that had come by way of a discreet guard.

_My dear brother,_

_ I am alive and well. I cannot tell you my exact whereabouts, for fear of endangering you, or my lady wife, with that knowledge._

_ I do need for you to look after Sansa, and the daughter of mine that I know she is carrying. I know that the two of you do not get on well, for reasons that are truly unfortunate, but not impossible to overcome. Jaime, I need for you to overcome your reasons for disliking Sansa, for me. I fear that there is still great danger at King's Landing in store for everyone, either by way of those damnable shadows or those damnable dragons._

_ And of course, the biggest danger to my person, is our sweet sister, Queen Cersei._

_ Do whatever you think is best to protect Sansa and my unborn daughter, from that woman. _

_ I am sorry about Brienne, brother. I know you loved her so._

_ Your brother, _

_ Tyrion_

Jaime exhaled, just as a fellow member of the queensguard entered his chambers.

"Ser, Lord Baelish has absconded with Lady Lannister. They are headed for a ship."

Jaime raised a brow.

"Lord Baelish? The same Lord Baelish that is in the dungeon?"

"I checked, ser, and **SOMEONE** is down there but it is not him."

"Leave the impostor and stop Baelish and Lady Lannister. I will join you in a few moments."

* * *

Sansa saw that a woman was waiting near a ship called _The Bear_. Sansa squinted. The Bear...The Bear...

The Bear of Bear Island! And the woman was Dacey Mormont. Sansa had once thought she had a crush on her brother Robb. What was she doing with Lord Baelish?

When they approached, Dacey threw herself into Petyr's arms, and Sansa relaxed slightly. Clearly they were involved, so she could allay her own fears that Tyrion's thoughts on Lord Baelish's true motives, did indeed carry some weight.

"Lady Lannister. It is good to see you in one piece." Dacey said, after releasing Petyr.

"Lady Mormont, I heard about that harrowing Shadow attack. Your mother was killed, was she not?" Sansa asked.

Dacey nodded but Petyr interrupted.

"There is no time for talk. I'll tell the captain to begin sailing at once." Petyr said. But suddenly, Dacey's eyes grew huge and she gasped! Sansa turned to see a few members of the Queensguard, walking their way, lead by Jaime. They held torches.

"Just stay calm. I will handle this." Petyr told the women, as Jaime stood before them, his men behind him.

"Lord Baelish. Lady Mormont...I shall assume that you found the impostor that is now in Lord Baelish's dungeon cell?" Jaime asked in a pleasant tone.

Dacey said nothing. Petyr stepped forward.

"Ser, Lady Mormont has received word from your brother. He has requested that I bring him..."

"Now, now, Lord Baelish," Jaime chided in a sing song manner, "that is quite the hellacious lie, isn't it? Just why would Tyrion get word to Lady Mormont here, instead of... I don't know... his own wife or brother? He barely knows you."

"I saw the dragon set him to the ground over Bear Island," Dacey lied, "and he asked me to get word to his Lady wife. He is very afraid that if Queen Cersei discovers his whereabouts, he may not live to see his unborn child."

"Well that is quite a justified fear, "Jaime allowed, "but I don't follow how Lord Baelish has anything to do with this?"

"Ser," Dacey continued to lie, "I knew I could not just **ASK** Queen's Cersei or Margaery, if I could take Lady Lannister to her husband. She is a prisoner. And Lord Baelish here would know how to help me."

Sansa could see that helping her get to Tyrion, could cost Lord Baelish and Lady Mormont.

"They were only trying to help me find my lord husband. Let them go and I will stay. It is enough to know that Tyrion still lives." Sansa said.

Jaime had no time to decide one way or the other, as a large shadow loomed in the moonlit sky. A shadow that was in the shape of a dragon!

"**VISARYS**!" Sansa screamed. Warning bells sounded all over King's Landing, and someone quickly heeded them.

Another Targaryen dragon appeared in the sky, apparently released on the co-queens orders. Visarys forgot the group he had intended on terrorizing, for the moment, and flew in great haste, towards his dragon sibling. No one knew if this was to be a reunion of sorts or a long, drawn out battle.

It was neither, actually.

Visarys flew towards the dragon and quickly clamped his teeth around it's neck, snapping it off! The spectacle of the now dead dragon, having it's head separated from it's body, while slowly dropping into the waters, was a sight to behold.

Then Visarys flew up and around, and came towards the group below! Petyr and Dacey dove into the water, while the few Queensguards that Jaime had assembled, pulled out their swords, ready to do battle. But everything happened so quickly.

Visarys swooped down as he did with Tyrion, and grabbed Sansa with his teeth, pulling her into the air! Only this time, Jaime grabbed onto her as well, and now the dragon was about to carry off two people!

Sansa, oddly, did not utter a sound. She trusted that the dragon was taking her to Tyrion.

Jaime, however, had no such confidences! Visarys could see he had an extra passenger, and was forced to shake Sansa violently, to rid himself of Jaime! But Jaime held on to Sansa's legs for dear life, until finally, Visarys shook them both so hard, that they fell to the waters below.

Now, Sansa screamed.

* * *

**HOURS LATER-**

Jaime paced outside of Sansa's bedchamber. Queen Margaery and Maester Qyburn were in with her. He could think of nothing but Tyrion and his letter. His brother had asked him to look after his wife and unborn child! Now this happens...

He could feel Cersei's unkind eyes on him. Finally, he could not stand it!

"Something you want to say, Your Grace?" Jaime asked, his tone sarcastic.

Cersei began with cold silence. Then she spoke.

"Why are you **HERE**?"

"Don't be daft, Cersei."

"Don't you refer to me as such, ever again!" she snapped. "Your men should be here protecting myself and Margaery. But instead, they are out looking for an escaped prisoner and his lover! Why aren't **YOU** with them?"

"Because I sent my men to do it!" Jaime snapped. "What would you have me do? Like it or not, Sansa is our sister-in-law. She is carrying a Lannister inside of her. She is family and she should be treated as such."

The door opened and only Qyburn stepped out. Jaime looked at him expectantly.

"Well?" he asked.

"The babes are fine."

Cersei looked at Jaime, then at Maester Qyburn.

"There are two? Twins?" Cersei asked.

"Yes," he answered tensely, "any by God's mercy they are both still living. Lady Lannister needs rest, but will be able to..."

"When can she be moved to the dungeons?" Cersei asked crisply. Qyburn looked from her to Jaime. Jaime took over.

"Thank you, Maester Qyburn. That will be all." he said, then waited until he had left their hearing. Jaime then turned and grabbed Cersei hard!

"What is the matter with you? How can you be so hateful? You would put her down in the dungeons? She is carrying twins? Twins, Cersei, does that not mean anything to you?"

Cersei was about to tell him to unhand her, but something about his rough ways took her back to better times-with him. Her mouth locked onto his, just as Margaery came out of the room. She sighed loudly to announce her presence!

Jaime pulled away and they both looked to Margaery.

"She would like to see you." she said, indicating Jaime. Jaime let go of Cersei and walked past Margaery to the bedchamber. Once he was inside, Margaery eyed Cersei, but said nothing, continuing on to her own bed chamber. When she arrived, she found her grandmother there, waiting.

"Well?" Lady Oleanna asked.

"She is fine. But apparently she is carrying two babies." Margaery sighed, rubbing her hand down her face.

"Sansa betrayed us by trying to escape. I don't see how we can be of any help to her. Or how she can help us."

Margaery shook her head and turned to her.

"There is one way. Unfortunately, it is not the path intended. But Sansa left us no choice. It was one thing for her to try and leave. But Lord Baelish has escaped. Someone had to answer for it."

Meanwhile, Jaime sat at Sansa's side.

"I saw something under the water," Sansa said softly, "something awful."

"It was probably the other dragon. Don't think of it. Rest." Jaime told her.

"It was the other dragon...but...he changed. He turned into a man with white hair..."

"Sansa, you did not see that dragon turn in to a man. You are distraught. It is my duty as Tyrion's brother to look after you properly. And that is what I plan to do." Jaime said firmly. He decided not to tell Sansa of Tyrion's letter. He did not know why except that he could not shake the feeling, that Sansa would try some other foolishness to leave here and endanger the Lannister twins she was carrying, if she did know.

And Tyrion would never get over losing two children. He had to keep Sansa safe from Cersei. But how? How to do it?

A handmaiden entered the room and informed Jaime that Queen Margaery wanted to see him. Jaime touched one of Sansa's hands with his only remaining one.

"Rest. Do not think anymore about beheaded dragons." he said, leaving her.

* * *

The last person Jaime expected to see with Margaery, was Joffrey.

Joffrey was holding the letter that Tyrion had sent to him.

"You searched my room?" Jaime asked blithely.

"I was looking for you, uncle. Dragons were attacking. I wanted to make sure you weren't asleep. It was lying out." Joffrey smiled.

Margaery took over.

"Cersei will have to find out about this."

"No," Jaime insisted, "she wants Sansa put down in the dungeons. You know she is carrying two babies. None of them will survive the horrors down there."

Joffrey glanced at the letter, then tossed it aside.

"Did you know I was imprisoned at Winterfell by Uncle Tyrion?"

Jaime clenched his jaw.

"Your uncle may have mentioned it in a letter. Something about your murdering someone at Winterfell that looked like Sansa."

"Well, that is neither here nor there," Joffrey said dismissively, " the point is this: Uncle Tyrion allowed me to be abused in a perverse way. Balon Greyjoy is coming on the morrow, to offer men to find Uncle Tyrion. It seems that he had that damnable dragon murder his daughter, Lady Asha."

"What is it that you want?" Jaime asked both of them.

"There is no way to keep Sansa safe," Margaery told him, "no clean way. She is a prisoner, she attempted to escape to her husband, supposedly. We don't know that she was not in on the plot, along with Lady Mormont, to help Lord Baelish escape."

"What. Do. You. Want?" Jaime repeated through gritted teeth.

"You could very well go down to the dungeons, uncle, for hiding this from the queens," Joffrey almost crowed, "but Queen Margaery wants to offer you a deal. One that would make me extremely happy."

Jaime folded his arms.

"There is something in this life that would make you extremely happy, Joffrey? Does it include strangling kittens?"

Joffrey took a step towards Jaime(as if he could really do anything) and Margaery interceded.

"Jaime, I would be willing to set aside Sansa's marriage to Tyrion, and allow you to wed her."

"Yes," Joffrey grinned, "wouldn't that just break poor Uncle Tyrion's heart? I can't tell you how sick it made me, to watch him slobber over her! She is a traitor's daughter and yet still too good for the likes of him! Losing her almost compensates for the abuse I endured from his men."

Jaime stared at Joffrey.

"I do believe you on that. Are you sure you aren't related to the Mad King in some way?"

"Listen to me," Margaery interrupted again, "Cersei is not going to relent. She will have Tyrion's head and his wife's. If Sansa is no longer the wife of a man she considers to be a traitor to her crown, she could survive. Her and the babies could survive."

Jaime remembered the animal rage in Cersei's eyes from before. His sister did not give a damn about Sansa or her unborn children. He had hoped that her learning that Sansa was carrying twins, would spark something long dead within her. Something that made her remember their childhood.

But Jaime suspected that there was much about Cersei that he had once loved, that was now long dead.

"Fine. I will inform Sansa in the morning." Jaime told them.

* * *

Tyrion had been walking along the beach at Dragonstone with Bronn, wondering when he would receive a return reply to his letter to Jaime.

"Sometimes it takes a couple of days." Bronn informed him.

"A couple of days? I won't survive the wait!"

"A couple of days is better than forever," Bronn informed him, before looking up to the sky, "seven hells! That dragon is back!"

Tyrion squinted up into the moonlit sky. Where had Visarys been now? The men watched as the dragon swooped to the ground right around the area where the dungeons were. Tyrion looked to Bronn.

"Why would he land there?"

"Do I look like I know anything about dragons? Just to keep the hell away from them!" Bronn sniffed. But he followed after Tyrion, as they made their way off of the beach and moved towards the dungeon area of the castle.

It was as they turned a grassy corner, that Tyrion began to cry out, and Bronn bent down to clamp his hand over his mouth! For they watched as Visarys the dragon, turned in to Visarys Targaryen, looking very much alive and unscathed after being burned to death by Khal Drogo.

The Red Woman stood up on her bed and spoke to him through her window.

"How many of the dragons did you slay this time?" Melisandre asked.

"Only one. Those whore queens only had the sense enough to send one to best me. I believe it was Rhaegar." Visarys said.

"And Lady Lannister?"

"I could not retrieve her. The filth that murdered my father prevented me from doing so."

"Wait a few days then fly back again. If you keep appearing, eventually, they will find someone to best you. Then where will you be?" Melisandre asked.

"Not on my throne where I belong." Visarys answered. Bronn and Tyrion now crawled behind some brush.

"Hell's teeth!" Tyrion whispered. "**THAT** is what the Red Woman meant!"

"Jon Snow will never sit on that throne. A full blooded Targaryen plans on doing so." Bronn said, more to himself. Tyrion noted that he had reverted back to addressing Jon as 'Jon Snow'.

"We're all in danger. Every single one of us in this realm." Tyrion noted. "And we cannot let on that we don't think Visarys is anything other **THAN** a dragon."

"We have to find a way to keep him from flying off." Bronn told him. "That will buy us some time. But how is this happening? How are dead Targaryens coming back alive as dragons, then turning into real men?"

"I suspect Melisandre can answer that. And it's time Jon Snow stopped his foolishness and got some answers from that woman! I mean she is a witch! She can probably leave that cell whenever she wants!"

"And summon that dragon to kill us to protect her secret!" Bronn breathed.

* * *

Margaery knelt on the floor, on all fours, while Joffrey worked up a thrusting momentum that enabled his cock to delve deeper and deeper into her. She feigned pleasure with this beast. She always kept her dear brother, the late Ser Loras, in mind, whenever she endured relations with him.

And she endured them for a reason.

Joffrey moved against her harder and faster, then reached under her and cupped her jogging breasts as if they belonged to him. Let him think that, Margaery thought. Let him think that she belonged to him. Let him think that he will rule again once they marry.

Joffrey Baratheon could think anything he liked, as long as he kept his end of the bargain.

And that would be to murder his own mother, Queen Cersei.


	6. Chapter 6

Cersei knew when she was being plotted against. And she hid her fury, as she broke her fast with Margaery and Joffrey.

"Let me see if I understand this: you plan to release Jaime from his Queensguard duties, so he can marry. And you want to set aside Tyrion's marriage to Sansa Stark, so that Jaime can then wed her? And I should go long with this, why?"

Joffrey spoke, his voice brimming with irritation.

"Because it will upset Uncle Tyrion. Mother, after he learns of this he will probably slay himself! Or better yet, surrender himself so that he can indeed be beheaded! Personally, I think you should allow him to just live without her. He can go back to bedding whores." he sniffed, then grinned at Margaery.

It was his grinning at Margaery, that bothered Cersei more than anything else.

"I did not realize the two of you had settled your differences." Cersei noted.

Margaery realized that Joffrey was giving them away and attempted to cover for him.

"We are both queen of this realm, Cersei. I don't think it will do for us to be at cross purposes, with one other's familial relations."

"Hmmm." was all Cersei said to that.

"But back to what Joffrey was proposing," Margaery said, "I think it is a wise solution."

"Joffrey proposed it?" Cersei questioned, looking her son in the eye. "Tell me, Joffrey, why did you not bring this letter to me? Why did you show it to Margaery instead?"

Joffrey now realized his own mistake. He did not look at Margaery as he addressed his mother.

"I did not want to wake you." he said feebly.

"But you knew that I cared more about finding your Uncle Tyrion than Queen Margaery here."

"That is not true." Margaery replied.

"Of course it is. You are friends with Sansa. And you want Sansa to be happy. Beheading Tyrion would make her extremely unhappy."

"As would forcing her to marry Jaime." Margaery argued. Now Joffrey looked at his mother with hard eyes.

"Mother, I want to see Uncle Jaime married. To be honest, I don't care to whom, but the idea of hurting Uncle Tyrion with this match does please me. I want to see Uncle Jaime married so that people can stop talking about the two of you. I don't see why you don't defend my true parentage more?"

"Joffrey!" Cersei snapped. "I don't 'defend' it because we are royal! We have no one to answer to about such filth! Forcing your uncle to marry just to stop gossip..."

"A war started over this 'gossip'! Others were able to get a foothold in here and take my throne!" Joffrey snapped back. "And the people that should have stood by me and helped me get it back, fled or turned against me. I want Uncle Jaime to be married to Sansa Stark. I want Uncle Tyrion to be left heartbroken, bereft and shattered if need be. If you cared anything for me, you would go along with Queen Margaery on this."

Cersei knew better than to quibble about this. She smiled wanly.

"Fine. But the wedding will take place here in King's Landing." she said. Joffrey grinned, stood up and bowed before both ladies, before leaving the room. Margaery then stood.

"This was a wise move, Cersei. An even wiser one would be if you married as well."

Cersei just stared at her. Margaery, unsettled by her stare, turned to leave as well. Cersei stared at her back until it left her sight.

She didn't know whether to burst out laughing or scream.

Cersei had learned of the letter, probably before Joffrey spied it. She had had the guard that gave Tyrion's letter to Jaime, captured and tortured. He was a spy for a sellsword that had been made a Lord, that was associated with Tyrion. And before he had died from his wounds, he had informed them that Tyrion was at Dragonstone with Jon Snow.

She did like the idea of causing Tyrion much unhappiness. And he could be unhappy** BEFORE** he was beheaded. She stood up. She planned to inform Tyrion of Jaime and Sansa's impending marriage herself.

As she slowly walked over to her desk, one other thing preying on her mind, had to be dealt with. Cersei had not decided whether to ask Gregor Clegane to rape and murder Margaery, much as he did Princess Elia, Rhaegar Targaryen's wife, or ask Balon Greyjoy to plan a lovely murder for her. All she did know, was that Margaery had seduced Joffrey and turned him against her. **THAT**, Cersei would not tolerate.

She slowly sat behind her desk and pulled out a quill and parchment. She began to write, at times, grinning madly. Once she put down her pen, Cersei re-read what she had written twice...

_Dear Tyrion_,

_ I did not refer to you as 'dearest', because as you well know, after murdering our mother by coming into this world, you became nothing to me the moment you were born._

_ And if you are wondering how I knew where to send this letter, well, you've always been stupid as well. Consider this message your head start. I would run if I were you._

_ But if you do heed my advice, I have news for you before you go: I have decided to set aside your marriage to Sansa Stark so that Jaime can marry her. You not only disgraced yourself, Tyrion, but your poor, pregnant wife, would surely have suffered from just being married to you. Sansa's marriage to Jaime would keep her from being executed._

_ I told Sansa this morning who looked just thrilled by the news! How could she not be, with Jaime being the better looking Lannister brother. I have offered to take your twins...oh...you did not know that, did you? Sansa is carrying twins, like Jaime and myself. I will be raising them once they are born, so that Sansa and Jaime can start over with children of their own._

_ Joffrey sends his best. That means he hopes you die and go to hell._

_ Love,_

_ Your sister, Cersei._

Pleased by what she had wrote, she turned it over to a handmaiden and told her to get it ready for a raven to carrry...to Dragonstone. She was tempted to send one of her shadow children there to murder her imp brother, but decided against that. She had told enough half truths and lies, to lure Tyrion back to King's Landing.

* * *

The time had come for Jaime to inform Sansa of what had been decided. When he arrived at her quarters, he took it upon himself to dismiss the handmaidens, causing everyone in the room to look at one another questioningly. But Sansa, sensing that whatever was to be discussed, was serious, seconded the dismissal, then waited until the door closed to speak.

"What is it? Have you heard from Tyrion? That is it, isn't it? You have heard from Tyrion?"

"No, my lady," Jaime lied, "I have not. It concerns another matter."

"What I told you the night before? About the dragon turning into a man underwater?"

"My lady, you did not see that. You were distressed."

Sansa then raised a brow.

"Why are you here then?"

Jaime decided to just be forthright.

"There is no saving you from the dungeons and eventual execution. Not as long as Cersei has any hold on the throne. That is, unless you allow Margaery to set aside your marriage to Tyrion, so that we could marry. Then you would be..."

**MOMENTS LATER...**

Sansa's eyes fluttered as her handmaidens fanned her! Jaime scowled as he stared down at her! Sansa's response to his news had been less than flattering!

"Are you alright, my lady?" one of the handmaiden's asked breathlessly.

"Yes, I believe so," Sansa asked as she was gently helped up off of the floor, "I heard something incorrectly. Thank you, Jaime, for bringing them to me. You can leave again."

The two handmaidens, looked at one another skeptically, before leaving the room again. Once the door closed, Jaime stood before her.

"You did not hear me incorrectly, Sansa. We are to be married..."

** MOMENTS LATER AGAIN...**

This time, Jaime poured water on Sansa's face, as she lay passed out on the floor! She awoke coughing and sputtering!

"What happened? Why am I wet?"

Jaime set down the cup and pulled her up off of the floor.

"You will listen to me without fainting again! We are to be married. Your marriage to Tyrion will be set aside so this can happen. Cersei means to kill my brother. There is no returning here for him. That means you are not safe. The Lannister twins you carry, are not safe. Marriage to me will guarantee you protection."

Sansa yanked herself from his grip!

"Marriage to you will guarantee protection? Cersei won't care?" Sansa asked, her tone almost jeering.

"If Tyrion is harmed by our wedding, then no, she won't care."

"I won't do it. I'll go to the dungeons!"

"Really, Sansa? And just what is it about me that you find so distasteful?"

"You believe it's just **ONE** thing? I am married to your brother! He will not understand this!"

"Sansa," Jaime said tiredly, "you fail to understand that the chances of your seeing him ever again, are not in your favor. You will never see him again to find out if he does or does not 'understand'. Neither will I. He cannot afford to come back here or he will be killed on the spot. Cersei is sending her shadows to Castle Rock to keep watch in case he goes there. Your life with him is over. I don't like it anymore than..."

"Get out!" Sansa snapped. Why was this place full of such misery? First her father is be-headed here, then she is kept hostage and tortured by Joffrey. Next she is forced into marriage to a man she was wary of at first, but did come to care for deeply. And now that is being ripped away so that she can marry a man that is known as the Kingslayer! How could this happen? How? How could Margaery allow this to happen to her?

"In case you are thinking of going to Margaery, do not. She seems to feel this is the best way for you." Jaime advised. "The children will be raised as mine."

Sansa felt like fainting again. She turned away from him and said nothing more. Jaime quietly left the room, feeling some pity for her. But he was even sorrier for himself. He did not know how he would explain any of this to Tyrion.

Cersei was waiting for him in a hallway.

"Your grace," Jaime sighed, "you wanted a word?"

"How did she take it?" Cersei asked.

"How do you think?"

"Well that is very unfortunate. Because now the consummation of the marriage will have to be witnessed." Cersei said solemnly. Jaime's eyes raked over her coldly!

"Is that a jape?"

"Hardly. The only way that I will agree to this, is if I am convinced that the marriage is a true one. I will decide on whom the witnesses will be." Cersei said, caressing Jaime's face briefly, before walking off. Jaime rubbed his temples. Seven hells!

* * *

**DRAGONSTONE-**

Tyrion and Bronn broke fast with Robb and Arya. Arya noticed that the two men sitting across from them, were sneaking one another looks...

"What is going on with the two of you? You look as if you have a secret?" Arya asked.

"We," Tyrion lied, "were talking about how much bigger Visarys looks these days."

"Yes," Bronn seconded, "we saw him last night when he flew in."

Robb now eyed the two men as well. Tyrion could blather on but Bronn usually didn't join in.

"Well the bigger he is, the more formidable he will be. You say he got in late last night? Do you think he was in King's Landing?" Robb asked.

"Well you could ask him." Bronn coughed. Tyrion elbowed him. Arya snickered!

"Ask him? Is hat what you said, Ser Bronn?" Arya asked.

"No, he did not, Arya," Tyrion cajoled, giving Bronn a look, "but I had hoped that he might have retrieved Sansa for me."

Robb's jaw hardened but he said nothing. He had plans himself. To become Lord protector of Winterfell again and to divest his sister of the Lannister imp. The baby she was carrying would be a problem, but maybe it could be sent away? Yes, sent away, while Robb took it upon himself to arrange another marriage for Sansa.

Tyrion noted that Robb gave him a few more dirty looks than usual, but said nothing as a message arrived, via a raven, from King's Landing. Bronn took it then shouted an expletive!

"Holy shit, your lordship! It's from one of the queens!"

Robb and Arya stared curiously, as Tyrion opened the letter, praying it was from Margaery.

"Who knows you're here?" Robb asked, annoyed.

Tyrion sighed loudly, recognizing Cersei's hateful scrawl.

"I sent a message to my brother Jaime, asking him to look after Sansa. Somehow it must've been intercepted. This is from Cersei. She knows I am here and..."

Tyrion continued reading silently, and everyone at the table could see that something in that parchment, was terribly, terribly wrong!

"What is it? Is it Sansa?" Arya asked fearfully.

"Why has your sister sent a letter instead of attacking outright?" Robb asked.

Tyrion folded up the letter.

"Cersei wrote to inform me, that she will slay me wherever she finds me. She is setting aside my marriage to Sansa so that she can marry Jaime." he said in a deceptively calm voice.

Robb slowly stood up.

"It is bad enough that my sister's honor is insulted by marriage to **YOU**, Lannister! But now to the Kingslayer? We need to get her out of there now!"

"I have other concerns,** BROTHER-IN-LAW**!" Tyrion suddenly screamed. Bronn put a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, my lord!"

**"CALM DOWN? JAIME IS GOING TO FUCK MY WIFE! MY WIFE IS GOING TO BE FUCKED BY MY BROTHER! MY UNBORN DAUGHTER WILL PROBABLY BE INTERFERED WITH BY MY BROTHER'S COCK! I WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN! ARYA, GET VISARYS READY! IF I HAVE TO FLY ON HIS BACK..."**

Robb slapped Tyrion twice to calm him down! Tyrion blinked and Bronn helped him back into his chair. Oddly, Arya giggled!

"Alright. I understand that this 'development' makes you decidedly unhappy, Tyrion," Robb said, "but I am sure it is just for now. She will not stay married to him forever. Just until...well...until Cersei beheads you, I suppose. But it is nothing to get carried away about."

"Oh lovely, Robb. Your words of wisdom are just **LOVELY**! Tell me, how is your wife faring at Riverrun? What is her name again?" Tyrion asked coldly.

"You never mind what my wife's name is!" Robb snapped.

"I'm only asking because you never know what strapping guards, or sellswords or even neighbors, are thinking about fucking your wife, Robb Stark! So do not make light of my distress! I love your sister and I don't want anyone else to be with her, especially my **BROTHER**!"

Bronn nodded to Tyrion and he got up. They moved out of Robb and Arya's hearing.

"What **ARE** you going to do, my lord?" Bronn asked.

"I have to talk to that damned dragon and make him show himself as Visarys Targaryen. I need his help to get back to King's Landing."

"You heard the bastard. He's only interested in regaining that throne. You'll have to sweeten the pot for him somehow." Bronn advised.

"Yes," Tyrion sighed, "I surely will. I'll sweeten the pot** AND** send a message to my brother telling him not to touch Sansa."

Meanwhile, Jon Snow felt himself being drawn to Melisandre's dungeon cell. He had a guard unlock the cell door and he walked in. The guard left, closing the door.

"You could feel that I wanted to see you, didn't you?" Melisandre said. She was wearing her red cape again.

"You use witchcraft well." Jon allowed. "What is it? What do you want from me?"

"You are wasting your time. You will never sit on the iron throne."

Jon folded his arms.

"Why don't you tell me why?" he asked, obliging her.

"Because Visarys Targaryen means to regain it." Melisandre said simply. Jon squinted at her.

"The same Visarys Targaryen that was murdered by a Dothraki?"

"The Targaryen's have a remarkable lineage."

"What does that mean!" Jon snapped. "What in the living hell are you speaking of, woman? A dead man cannot return and claim the Iron Throne!"

"But he has, Jon Snow. Visarys Targaryen is back. He wants what is his...and he has taken a fancy to Queen Cersei."

Jon backed back a bit. This witch had lost her wits! None of what she was saying made any sense!

"Tell me how this is so, Melisandre?"

"Free me and I will tell you." she countered. Jon backed towards the cell door and yelled for the guard. He came hurriedly and Jon stepped out, then stared at Melisandre through the cell door window.

"I plan to send a raven to King's Landing, telling them I will offer you in exchange for my sister. Your value to me just lowered."

Melisandre dropped her cape and walked up to the door window.

"Why? Because I told you something you did not want to hear?"

"No, Madam, because you told me a falsehood, one that could not be possible. And I was keeping you because I had hoped you had true knowledge that could help me in my quest. I see now I was wrong." Jon said, then turned and walked off. Melisandre shrugged to herself. She **HAD** told him something that could help him- like, run before it was too late!


	7. Chapter 7

Jon met with Robb privately on an alcove. Robb was about to tell Jon of the newest and unfortunate 'Sansa Development', but he could see by Jon's face that there were more pressing matters to attend to.

"I just saw the Red Woman in the dungeons. I plan to send a message to Queens Cersei and Margaery. I want to exchange her for Sansa."

Robb eyed him.

"All of this after a visit to the dungeons?"

Jon looked Robb squarely in the eye.

"The woman is of no use to us. She has no information that could be of any help."

Robb now folded his arms.

"She told you you would never be King, did she not? And she told you why this time..."

Jon threw his hands up!

"Robb...the woman knows nothing but lunacy! She is saying that Visarys Targaryen is alive and that he wants to reclaim his throne! Worse yet he wants Cersei to he **HIS** queen! I don't know which news is more shocking: that Visarys could possibly be alive or that his taste in women is so horrifically bad!"

"Visarys Targaryen is alive? How?"

"He's **NOT**, Robb! She is telling a falsehood!"

"But of all the lies to tell, why that one?" Robb pressed. "I mean obviously she would have to prove it."

"Because she thinks we're stupid! No one would really know what Visarys looks like. All Melisandre would have to do is find some blonde man to say he is him. Or she could probably conjure one up with her magic. Who knows!" Jon said with disgust.

"Jon," Robb said carefully, "everyone knows full well, that anyone claiming to be a Targaryen, would have to be able to do more than produce a head full of blonde hair. They would have to be able to control a dragon."

"What are you saying?" Jon asked, now more annoyed than ever. "That that witch could be telling the truth?"

"You're upset," Robb noted, "which makes me think that you believe there is something to this as well. What is her part in all of this?"

"I did not ask. The moment she uttered that nonsense, I left her cell. It is a trick of some sort. I'm going to send a raven to King's Landing and get this woman out of Dragonstone as soon as possible."

Robb slowly nodded.

"Maybe that is for the best. Tyrion received some most distressing news from Cersei just now."

Jon squinted at his brother.

"How does Cersei know he's here?"

"I am assuming she knows we're all here. But her hatred for Tyrion seems to take precedence over protecting her throne from you...which is why women are not fit to rule." Robb said, but not unkindly.

"What has happened?"

"Cersei means to kill Tyrion and Sansa. The only way Sansa could have a chance to live, is if she married the Kingslayer."

"Seven hells!" Jon snapped. "That makes no sense! Cersei and Jaime..."

"I know, I know. But think about it," Robb said, "it isn't as if Cersei can marry Jaime. And she doesn't need to, to carry on with him in an indecent manner. We have to get Sansa out of there."

Jon nodded. Yes, they did. The sooner, the better.

* * *

Tyrion looked over the letter he had written to Jaime...

_Dear Brother,_

_ I received a letter from our bitch sister that was full of cruel lies. Clearly our previous correspondence was intercepted in some way._

_ Cersei is saying that Sansa is having twins! That is the first lie, since it is clear that we are only having a daughter._

_ Secondly, she is saying that my marriage to Sansa will be set aside so that you can marry her! HA! I wrote 'Ha' to demonstrate how little I believe anything our sister says._

_ But I would appreciate a response. One in which you tell me that everything Cersei said was a lie._

_ Your brother,_

_ Tyrion_

Tyron then sent it with a squire, who would sent it via a raven to King's Landing. Having gotten that out of the way, Tyrion now looked at Bronn.

"You do not have to come with me. I know my way to the dragon's keep myself."

"I'm coming with you to bloody protect you, your lordship." Bronn said wryly. Tyrion noted his shield.

"That will actually withstand a fire blast?"

"The hell if I know! But it's the only thing I have." Bronn told him.

"Well that is just wonderful, Bronn! I am not looking to put anyone else in peril. We know he is Visarys. When I tell him to show his true self..."

"He will kill you with fire, my lord. And you plan on asking him to 'show himself'? That is your plan?"

"What would you have me do? Play coy with a dragon? He brought me here for a reason. Maybe he will be amenable to showing his true self."

Bronn didn't believe that for one bloody minute! But he could think of nothing else to do either. He said nothing as they made their way to dragon's lair which was a cave. There were supposed to be guards nearby, ready to feed the creature when he became hungry.

"I don't see the guards Jon posted." Tyrion whispered.

"Probably because they've been eaten." Bronn answered. "Why are you whispering?"

"I don't want to disturb the man."

Bronn raised a brow.

Then he shouted.

**"VISARYS THE DRAGON, GET YOUR SELF OUT HERE!"**

Tyrion grasped Bronn's wrist and suddenly, the dragon appeared at the cave's entrance. It then sauntered towards them, breathing fire. Tyrion sensed that the beast had understood full well, that now someone knew who he really was. The next moment was a test. Would he belch fire upon them, burning them to a crisp? Or would he reveal who he really was?

Suddenly, the dragon shrunk and Visarys Targaryen appeared, wearing a black tunic concoction. His blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his eyes breathed arrogance.

"You know who I am. Tell my why I shouldn't kill both of you now?" he asked, his manner almost casual.

Tyrion released Bronn's wrist and stepped forward.

"Obviously you know who we all are, so introductions are not necessary. I am here because I think we can both be of some use to one another."

Visarys now leaned against a tree, his eyes raking over both of them contemptuously.

"**YOU** were brought here, imp, because of your use to me. Not the other way around. Of course you both know that I cannot allow you to leave here alive."

"But why?" Tyrion questioned. "It is not as if we'd tell anyone."

"You told him." Visarys noted, looking at Bronn. Bronn rolled his eyes!

"He didn't tell me anything! We both saw you change last night when you were talking to that witch woman."

Visarys raised a brow but said nothing more. Tyrion decided to just go ahead and say what he was going to say.

"My sister, one of the queen's, means to execute me, just because she has always hated me..."

"Actually," Visarys interrupted, looking down on him, "you are to be executed because you turned traitor when the incest bastard was ousted. Though to be honest, I think families should intermarry."

"Of course you do," Tyrion said between clenched teeth, "but as I was saying, I would be more than happy to support you as King."

"Because Cersei hates you." Visarys said coolly. "I would think once I became King, and that will happen any day now, your head would make her most happy-and open to marriage."

Bronn's mouth dropped open and Tyrion backed back a bit.

"Probably," Tyrion said slowly, "but I think I misunderstood...you mean to make Cersei your queen?"

"Yes. She will have little choice in the matter. She'll marry me if she wants to live."

"God! Why her?" Tyrion asked, wrinkling his nose.

"I don't have to answer to you. And I do plan on bringing her your head and your wife's, if I can get my claws into her on my next trip to King's Landing. I brought you here to kill you, Tyrion Lannister. So there are no deals. I'm only waiting for the right time."

"Let's go, Bronn." Tyrion said coolly. Bronn eyed Tyrion and they both backed away, and then left the cave area. Visarys turned back into a dragon and this time, stomped back into the cave.

"What are you going to do, my lord? If he brings your lady wife here..."

Tyrion grinned!

"Did you hear that arrogant bastard? He should have killed us back there. All we have to do is tell everyone what and who he is, and he will never get back that the iron throne."

"Do you plan on telling Jon Snow?"

"No. That's not the way to play this. I am sending a message to Cersei and Margaery."

"My lord, why don't we just tell Jon Snow and his Stark brother? They can slay the bastard. Jon can control him..."

"Bronn, don't you see? Visarys Targaryen was only pretending with Jon Snow. He probably can no more control a dragon than we can. I do believe he's a Targaryen but only part. I don't quite know why Visarys pretended to be his pet, but no matter. This is good news, my friend! Cersei will be so distracted and shocked, that it will give me the chance to get Sansa out of harm's way.

"My lord," Bronn said shaking his head, "the point of visiting that dragon/man, was to get a ride back to King's Landing before Sansa can marry your brother."

"I know," Tyrion said quietly, "but I will just have to hope that marriage plans and anything else planned, will be put on hold after Cersei and Margaery hear this news."

"What if they don't believe you?" Bronn asked.

Tyrion realized that would be a distinct possibility. They might think it was a desperate piece of fiction on his part to get out of trouble."

"I will write as Jon Snow. The word of a former Stark bastard, has to carry more weight than mine these days." Tyrion said knowingly.

* * *

Cersei sat with Balon Greyjoy as they rode in a carriage through King's Landing.

"There are ears and shadows, that are not kind to me." Cersei explained. Balon said nothing about that. He had known Tywin Lannister, and he would've caned Cersei bloody, or dead, if he had heard about her dabbling in black magic to grasp the throne for herself. One engaged in battle to seek a crown. Using magic was tantamount to cheating.

Though he had to admit, Cersei was better suited for it that Margaery Tyrell...

"People think she is too soft to rule, your grace. People also think that there need only be **ONE** queen."

Cersei, who had been staring out of the carriage, turned to him.

"I agree. I am in a quandary about how to make that happen. Outright murder is the only way, of course."

Balon burst out laughing! Oh, yes, she was a Lannister alright!

"Your grace, forgive me, but outright murder isn't always the way."

Cersei raised a brow.

"Really Lord Greyjoy? You truly believe that? If you could've had someone murder Robert when you rebelled against him, would you not have done it?"

Balon scowled! He didn't like being reminded of that very dark time in his family history. It cost him his son. And now his daughter Asha...

"Maybe we should speak of other matters. I know you have plans to behead that imp brother of yours. I am asking that when my men find him, you allow me to bring to you his head on a platter."

"Tyrion's head is not good enough to dirty up a platter," Cersei said sardonically, "besides, I want to see it with my own eyes. I would ask that you help with his capture. Maybe if he thought he would be safe with your men, they could lure him in to a trap."

"What does the 'other queen' have to say on this matter?"

"She is soft. Soft on that Stark girl...soft about flowers..."

"A thorn in your side." Balon said knowingly. Cersei eyed him.

"Why do you keep asking about her? What is it that you seek?" she asked.

"More children. Theon and Asha are lost to me. And the other queen looks as if she'd be ripe and ready in my bed."

Cersei grinned!

"While I am not wholly against the prospect, Lord Greyjoy, her murder would be most advantageous to me. Margaery Tyrell once down, has a peculiar habit of pulling herself back up and bettering herself. I cannot have that happening again. Her leaving the throne in disgrace and then coming back later to become queen again, somehow, someway, is not a hand I want to be dealt. But if all you want is to fuck her..."

"Keep what I offered in mind. And if you see an opportunity that would be advantageous to both of us, send a raven. Now, as for your imp brother, that dragon of Jon Snow's brought him to Dragonstone. He can only leave by sea. I can have men waiting for his capture at Sharp Point, Stonedance and Rooks Rest. Now he could go past Rook's Nest and head toward Runestone, but I suspect those three points will be the escape paths."

"And he would definitely need to go past Sharp Point and Rooks Rest to return to King's Landing." Cersei noted.

"Unless somehow that dragon returns him. Your grace, I head about the incident the other night. One of your dragons was slain. That same dragon killed my daughter at Winterfell. What if this dragon of Snow's kills all of your remaining Targaryen ones?"

"Then I have the Shadows." Cersei said.

"Who cannot breathe fire from the ground." Balon reminded her.

"No, but I am trying to get inside of Tyrion's tiny mind. He left by way of dragon and may assume that we are looking for him to return the same way. Thus, he will find another way to slip into King's Landing and abscond with his wife."

Balon cleared his throat. Cersei raised a brow.

"Something else, Lord Greyjoy?"

"Just that Sansa Stark is very popular in the North. Killing a pregnant Stark woman will not go over well there."

"We will be setting aside her marriage to Tyrion in favor of my other brother Jaime. So Sansa Stark will not be dying anytime soon." Cersei said bitterly.

* * *

Sansa returned to her favorite Godswood area, to pray. This time for some kind of miracle, that would keep her from marrying Jaime Lannister.

The particular spot she was in, was shrouded by woods before entering a clearing close to a cliff. Many times she had thought about throwing herself off of it, to escape the misery of Joffrey and the guilt she felt over her father's death. He had not been a traitor because he had not been wrong.

She was on her knees, with her eyes closed and the wind on her face, when she felt something rub against her lips! Her eyes flew open and she stood up quickly...

Joffrey had rubbed his cock across her lips! Sansa stood to full height and stared down the monster that she had once been betrothed to.

"Praying again, aunt? Nothing is going to save you from marrying my Uncle Jaime. Let me see, you've now been married to an imp and now a one handed, former knight. Sandor Clegane was more man than either of them, sadly."

"How dare you put your filthy...stay away from me, Joffrey! I do not have to answer to you!" Sansa hissed and turned to walk off.

But Joffrey grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him!

"I am the queen's son which makes me 'Prince Joffrey'. You are a prisoner which makes you dirt under my feet! I've come to fuck you, 'Aunt Sansa'. I want to please Margaery better and you will do as any other whore for practice."

"I am a whore?" Sansa asked boldly. "How you can come to me saying any of those things, when you allowed Ser Loras to use you like a dog would another. Or the things that you did in the Winterfell dungeon. The guards say that you engaged in unholy practices to be let go...not escape!"

Joffrey slapped her!

Sansa slapped him back! She then pointed at him.

"You killed my father, Ser Loras, Marissa Faust and God knows who else! And if you bring that thing you call a cock near me again, you will lose it! Do you hear me?" she seethed.

Joffrey looked speechless. Sansa turned to walk away from him, but Joffrey jumped her from behind, wrapping a hard harm around her neck and dragged her backwards!

"I was wrong about what would make Uncle Tyrion unhappy! Maybe your death would suffice just as well!" he hissed, as he proceeded to pull her towards the edge of the cliff! Sansa could not draw breath to scream and writhed and kicked out to slow him down. And when he turned her to fling her off of the edge, Sansa grabbed onto him and they both went over the side...just as Jaime arrived!

"**SANSA! JOFFREY**!" he cried out and ran to the edge. What Ser Jaime Lannister found, was Sansa and Joffrey, both clinging to the edge of the cliff, side by side.

"**UNCLE JAIME**!" Joffrey yelled. "**HELP ME UP! THIS BITCH TRIED TO KILL ME**!"

"**HELP! HELP**!" Sansa sobbed, feeling her hold on the earth slipping. She and her unborn children would die, much like her father had died...in King's Landing and at the hands of Joffrey Baratheon.

Jaime hurried to the edge and gave Joffrey his remaining hand and Sansa his stump. Immediately, he knew he could not pull them both up.

"**UNCLE, I'M SLIPPING! DROP HER AND PULL ME UP**!"

"**I'M SLIPPING**!" Sansa screamed.

"**DROP HER UNCLE! I AM YOUR BLOOD! SHE IS NOTHING! DROP HER**!" Joffrey ordered him.

Sansa just cried harder. And then Joffrey said something else.

"**I AM YOUR SON! YOU CANNOT DROP ME! I AM YOUR SON**!" he bit out, his tone hostile.

Jaime then shook Joffrey off and pulled Sansa up to safety! Joffrey's screams did not go on for long, and stopped as he fell onto the rocks below. Once Sansa was on top of the cliff, she clung to Jaime, sobbing.

"It will be alright," Jaime soothed, caressing her hair, while peering down at Joffrey's body, "but we must act quickly. Cersei can never know what really happened."

Sansa stopped crying and pulled her face from his chest.

"You dropped your son and saved me." Sansa said quietly, looking into his eyes. The Hound would have done the same thing. And if what had happened was discovered, Cersei would probably execute them both.

Jaime did not answer her directly. He said something else.

"Sansa, you understand now how things are to be between us. Return to your chambers and look like a bride that is to be married. I will take care of this. Are we clear?"

Sansa just nodded, then moved to look over the cliff, but Jaime grabbed her from behind.

"Do not look. Return to your chambers."

Sansa turned, then walked away and through the Godswood forest, with the new understanding that Joffrey was dead, Jaime would make it look as if something else was responsible for his fate and that she was to be wedded and bedded to him shortly.

Or bedded and wedded. Whichever came first.


	8. Chapter 8

Cersei was still out and about with Balon Greyjoy, when three ravens arrived. Bronn had no way of knowing that his contact in King's Landing had been executed, for his part in delivering correspondence from Tyrion to Jaime. So Tyrion's first letter fell into Margaery's hands...as did the second one Tyrion wrote as 'Jon Snow', revealing that Visarys Targaryen was alive.

And the third one, from the real Jon Snow, asking for Sansa in exchange for the Red Woman, was truly the only one Margaery cared about. But to say that Margaery was confused was an understatement! She and her grandmother, Lady Oleanna, looked over each letter carefully.

She then snorted!

"This first letter reads like this same one from Tyrion Lannister!" she huffed. Margaery frowned over at her, while still holding the real Jon Snow's letter.

"He is claiming in this one to have the Red Woman. He wants to exchange her for Sansa."

Lady Oleanna raised a brow.

"We should get some proof of that. But it sounds like a wise deal. That woman cannot be allowed to run about, casting spells on this throne."

"I agree, Grandmother. But why would Jon Snow send two letters? Why didn't he tell me about his dragon being Visarys Targaryen in this one?"

"Because his dragon is **NOT** Visarys Targaryen! Tyrion Lannister wrote that disguised as Jon Snow!"

"Even so...what a wild claim. What if there is some truth to it?" Margaery asked, worried.

"Darling, Tyrion ruined that claim when he said Visarys wanted to marry Cersei! For the love of bells and wine, why would **ANYONE** pose as a dragon and lust after that woman all the while? Tyrion is probably been heavy into drink, due to his predicament and made up this wild tale."

Margaery nodded slowly.

"His letter to Ser Jaime is pitiful as well."

"Yes, well, he deserves an answer. From his brother. Reseal that one and give it to a squire to deliver to Ser Jaime. Throw away that nonsense about Visarys Targaryen."

"And the last one? Should I speak to Cersei about it?"

"No," Lady Oleanna advised, "she is not thinking clearly and has murder in her eyes. She would not have Sansa and Tyrion reunited under any circumstances. You must decide that one alone."

"There is nothing to decide, Grandmother! Sansa will have to leave here then! I want Melisandre executed as soon as possible! The idea of that woman conjuring up some other creature to remove me from power, preys on my mind constantly!"

Lady Oleanna touched her grand-daughter's hand.

"Of course it does, my dear. Cersei is off with Lord Greyjoy. Let's have Sansa gone before she returns."

* * *

Jaime hurried to his quarters, that ordered his squire to help him undress. His squire did not question the odd order, though it was practically mid-day.

Then Ser Jaime ordered him to bring Lady Sansa to him. The squire kept a straight face and accepted the order. God's teeth, he thought, the Kingslayer was going to take his marital rights before the ceremony and during the light of day!

As he was about to exit the room, a letter was given to him by a handmaiden, to give to Jaime. The squire handed it to Jaime and left to go about his duties...

Jaime sat down in a chair, naked and read Tyrion's letter. His jaw clenched and he set the paper down, pulled out a fresh parchment and picked up a quill...

_Dear Tyrion,_

_ How are you faring? I can tell by the contents of this letter you have written, that the rumors that you have heard are preying on your mind._

_ Unfortunately they are true. Your marriage to Sansa is being set aside in favor of me. But I want you to know that Sansa will be treated with kindness and respect._

_ I know that brings other horrors to your mind. Meaning the wedding and the bedding that MUST come after. Cersei wants the consummation witnessed, so I have little choice in the matter._

_ Try and be strong,_

_ Jaime_

Jaime then sealed the letter and set it on a small desk for his squire to take. He then stood up and walked over to the bed. He had arranged for one of the dragon keep's, to release a Targaryen dragon in about five minutes. Jaime had given the keep, a piece of Joffrey's clothing, so the beast could pick up his scent. The Keeper was paid handsomely to disappear shortly after performing this task.

Cersei would have many questions and suspicions. And for the love of God, she could not even assume that either himself, nor Sansa, had any part in Joffrey's death. They had to have a good alibi.

And having it known that they made love in his quarters, was quite a good one. Or at least Jaime thought so. He glanced over at the parchment containing the bad news he was to deliver to Tyrion. None of this could be helped, Jaime firmly believed that. Tyrion would just have to forgive him.

Or he did not. But it was Jaime's hope that he would one day do so.

* * *

The squire hurried to meet with one of Sansa's handmaidens...

"Ser Jaime wants to see Lady Lannister in his quarters."

"Alone?" the handmaiden asked suspiciously.

"Yes," the squire said with a dry throat, "and he is naked."

The handmaiden gasped!

"Lady Sansa is with child! There are twins inside her belly!"

"I don't think Ser Jaime cares. I have to bring her to him."

"He cannot wait until they are married?"

"From the looks of him, no." the squire said. The handmaiden shook her head but nodded.

"Wait out here. I will get her ready." she told him, before entering Sansa's chamber. Another handmaiden was trying necklaces for her upcoming nuptials, around her neck. That handmaiden stopped doing what she was doing abruptly, when she saw the facial expression of the first handmaiden. She excused herself and left Sansa alone with the handmaiden bearing bad news.

"Is something wrong?" Sansa asked. God, it was about Joffrey, she knew it! Could she pretend to look sad? Shocked? Could she not look guilty?

"Ser Jaime wants to see you in his quarters. I fear he is naked, my lady."

Sansa's mouth dropped open, then closed quickly.

"Why would that be?" she asked shortly.

"Errr...I am assuming that he..."

"Wants his marital rights now!" Sansa snapped. Yes, she was grateful that Jaime saved her from Joffrey! Yes, she now knew she had to go along with a marriage ceremony but if he thought he was touching her while she was with child...no! No, no and **NO**!

"My marriage to Lord Tyrion has to be set aside first! I would be committing adultery! He knows this! No!"

The handmaiden slowly put a hand on her shoulder.

"You know you are not really allowed to refuse him, my lady. You're a prisoner. Why don't you just get it over with? I mean it will be good practice when your actual bedding is witnessed."

"Who says my bedding is going to be witnessed?" Sansa asked, horrified.

The handmaiden looked equally horrified!

"I thought you knew! I heard it from one of Queen Cersei's handmaiden's. She just has to decide who will watch."

Meanwhile, Jaime knew time was running short here! Where was Sansa? Probably protesting coming to him! If she did not appear in the next few seconds, he would go to her chambers naked and...

The squire returned with a very unhappy looking Sansa. Jaime handed him his letter to Tyrion, then watched as the young man left, closing the door behind him. Once they were alone, Sansa let him have it!

"How dare you! I would rather you have dropped me, than endure your attentions!"

"In just a few minutes, one of the Targaryen dragons will drop Joffrey in the middle of King's Landing. Everyone will assume the dragon got a loose and killed him. We have to look as innocent as possible, Sansa."

"Oh." Sansa said, trying very hard not to stare at his manhood. "So this is pretend? People will just think we were together?"

"Pretend? I don't pretend, Sansa. Now you can undress yourself, or I can rip your clothing from your body."

"I am with child!"

"I fucked Cersei all nine months with each pregnancy. Now please undress."

"Tyrion will hate you for this! He will hate **ME** for this!" Sansa cried. Jaime suddenly grabbed her face and held her eyes with his own.

"For the last time, there is no more Tyrion and you! He cannot return here! You cannot go to him! This marriage is about giving your children a future and yourself a life with them. Cersei means to kill you, so you not understand that? Do you not see that?"

Before Sansa could answer, Jaime's mouth covered her own-hard. Sansa immediately fought his lips and struggled, until screams were suddenly heard! Screams of murder...

Sansa now knew that dragon had dropped Joffrey's body in the middle of King's Landing! Cersei may even be aware that her first born son was no more. Fear permeated every fiber of Sansa's body and she forced herself to respond to Jaime Lannister's touch, now knowing that this very act they were about to engage in, would keep anyone from thinking that they were the true reason Joffrey Baratheon was dead.

And even with one hand, Jaime managed to wrench her dress off of her, but at one point, Jaime released her and sat down on the edge of the bed. He beckoned her to come to him and she could not.

"I cannot do this!" Sansa cried out. "It is wrong! A dragon has dropped Joffrey...why would anyone think we had anything to do with it! We cannot do this!"

Footsteps could be heard coming near! Jaime looked towards the door, then at Sansa.

"Sansa, you need to come to me** NOW**! There is no more time! When whoever walks into this room, sees us, they have to leave with the full knowledge that we were making love when Joffrey died!" he hissed, reaching for her hand.

But Sansa pulled her hand from his grip!

"Don't ask me to do this! I will think of another way! We can think of another way!" she cried and then turned from him and bent down to pick up her dress.

"There is no other way!" Jaime growled and wrapped one arm around her waist, yanking her backwards! He then forced her down onto thick bulk and drowned out her cries of surprise and shock.

He moved his one hand around around her cupped a breast gently, while rasping in her ear.

"Move with me, Sansa. Move so that it will be known that we were too busy to kill Joffrey! Move, Sansa!"

Sansa closed her eyes and ignored the deep and stinging invasion of his member within her. She soon began moving up and down upon him, impaling herself repeatedly and Jaime quickly matched her rhythm.

Tyrion had taught her well, Jaime mused as his lips began nibbling on her ear.

Sansa never saw Margaery enter, gape in shock, then quietly leave the room.

But Jaime did. He continued his possessive ministrations far longer than was necessary, until he could take no more. He held Sansa tightly to him, as he spiraled out of control for what seemed like a longer moment than usual, before resting his head against her mane of hair.

Sansa sat still on his organ, unable to think clearly. What had just happened? She had just closed her eyes and imagined that Jaime was Tyrion?

No.

She had imagined she had been taken by Sandor Clegane again?

No.

She had been with Jaime Lannister. Her husband's brother. And she had given in to his lovemaking when she had intended on doing no such thing. Why?

Sansa did not believe she would never see Tyrion again. But now, after this, she could not face him ever again.

The thought made her cry. Jaime felt her quaking against him and sighed, pressing his face deeper into her hair.

"It will be alright now. Everything will be alright now." he whispered.

* * *

"**NOOOOOOOOO**!" Cersei screamed over and over again. It was unimaginable that Joffrey could be dead! It was unimaginable that he could've been killed by a dragon...why didn't the dragon just drop Joffrey off somewhere as he did Tyrion? Why did he have to kill him? Why?

The drunken dragon keep that had let that beast out, disappeared, which made Cersei think that more was going on here! Who here hated Joffrey enough to do something like this?

Sansa. Sansa Stark!

Balon Greyjoy said very little. King's Landing was out of control. Queen Cersei was out of her mind with grief. There had to be a way to make this advantageous to himself...

"Bring me, Sansa Stark! She has been in communication with Tyrion! I know it! They planned this!"

Queen Margaery spoke.

"Sansa had nothing to do with this."

"Oh please! Stop covering for that simpering..."

"Cersei," Margaery said quietly, "I accidentally walked in on her and your brother in the throes of lovemaking. It looked like it had been going on for awhile."

Cersei's eyes grew huge!

"You are telling me that my brother and...and...during the final moments of my son's life? Oh..." Cersei moaned and fell to her knees. Jaime had fucked that Stark girl while their baby boy was being mangled by a wild beast! How could he? How could he?

"I grew to care for Joffrey as well," Margaery lied, "so we must find out how this happened, Cersei. We must find out who did this. We cannot have a prince murdered in his own land."

"Where is that dragon?" Cersei asked quietly.

"I believe some men got him back into the lair."

"I don't want that thing back in it's 'lair'. I want it killed. **NOW**. If he is not killed by someone by midnight, tomorrow there will be executions of anyone that I even suspect hated my son!"

"You cannot do that without me," Margaery told her in a no-nonsense manner, "and..."

Balon Greyjoy bit his lip to keep from warning Margaery, that Gregor Clegane, was about to grab her from behind! He wrapped a meaty arm around Margaery's throat and pressed until she passed out. Cersei nodded approvingly then spoke.

"Take her to the dungeon and do as you will with her, before killing her." she told him. Gregor picked Margaery up and carried her off. Cersei then looked at Balon.

"I'm sorry, Lord Greyjoy. But I promise you, I will find you a suitable wife to make up for the loss of Margaery."

Balon said nothing. Cersei was never going to let Margaery live anyway, so he had lost nothing. Cersei turned from him and walked up to Ser Merwyn.

"Arrest Lady Oleanna and put her down in the dungeons as well."

* * *

Margaery's 'shadow children' had been lured to the dragons lair and disintegrated with several blasts of fire.

"**UNHAND ME**!" Lady Oleanna screeched as a guard muscled her from her quarters. Ser Merwyn looked through the correspondence on her desk and smiled at two of the letters.

The third one horrified him. He took all three letters back to Cersei, who read them with Balon Greyjoy, who was still in the room with her. He frowned.

"Why would Jon Snow send two different letters? This one about Visarys Targaryen is ridiculous."

Cersei said nothing. She didn't feel anything at the obvious distress within Tyrion's letter to Jaime. And yes, she wanted the Red Woman. Maybe it was time to focus on other things. She had to find out what happened to her poor Joffrey! Sansa was an irritant now. One that had fucked **HER** Jaime! Cersei had assumed Sansa felt nothing for Jaime. She had assumed that this marriage would be a hardship upon the wretch.

Apparently, Cersei had been wrong.

And then there was this third bit of rubbish about Visarys Targaryen really being a dragon in disguise. Cersei would not have been surprised if Tyrion had written that, pretending to be Jon Snow! What a ridiculous tale! And to be even more mean spirited, he made it sound as if a dragon fancied her.

"What do you plan on doing?" Lord Greyjoy asked.

"I plan on agreeing to Jon Snow's request. I don't have the time to bother with Tyrion. You can handle returning Sansa to Dragonstone. If you see Tyrion, capture or kill him, I don't care which."

"As you wish, my grace." Lord Greyjoy nodded, just as Jaime entered the throne room.

"Lord Greyjoy. Your grace." he said, looking squarely at Cersei. "I heard Lady Oleanna screaming earlier. May I inquire as to why?"

"I'm through sharing what is mine." Cersei said, holding her brothers eyes. "Sansa will be traded for the Red Woman. You do not have to marry her. That won't be a problem, will it?"

Jaime's jaw clenched. He looked at Lord Greyjoy.

"May I have a word with the Queen? Alone?"

Balon Greyjoy nodded, and bowed slightly to Cersei, before leaving the throne for his own guest quarters. Once he was gone, Jaime turned to Cersei.

"I don't have to marry Sansa, why?" Jaime asked calmly.

"Because she is being traded! I don't care anymore about her and Tyrion **OUR** baby boy has been murdered!"

"Cersei, he was killed by a dragon. The dragon should be slain."

"I want to believe that it was just some happenstance...but I cannot! A drunken dragon keep should not be this hard to find! And no one saw the dragon snatch Joffrey off of the grounds. Suddenly this depraved beast was dropping my son amongst the commoners here!"

"So Joffrey was snatched up. Probably like Tyrion was."

"Yes only Joffrey in not at Dragonstone, is he? He's dead! And I have to know exactly why!" Cersei seethed. "And I'm beginning to think that Margaery Tyrell and her ancient grandmother, had a hand in this!"

"Calm down. Please. Look, Sansa and I have already consummated our impending relationship. You cannot just return her now to Tyrion."

"Yes, why is that. Jaime? Why did you feel the need to fuck Sansa while our son lay dying?"

"First of all, do not call him 'our son'. You never wanted me to even look his way. He was Robert's. Secondly, you told me that the bedding would be witnessed. I was not about to be embarrassed with a fumbling, non responsive wife in front of witnesses. I want those children born at Casterly Rock. Father would want the same."

"Since when have you ever cared about what Father wanted?" Cersei asked tiredly. Jaime reached for her shoulders and dug his hands into them.

"There has to be a wedding ceremony. I will then return to Dragonstone with Sansa and tell Tyrion what has happened..."

"**NO**!" Cersei snapped. "Do you not get it? Sansa is in **EXCHANGE FOR MELISANDRE**! That means I get the Red Woman and they get to keep Sansa. Tyrion can have her and she gets nothing of Casterly Rock!"

Jaime said nothing at first. He felt fortunate that Cersei did not suspect himself or Sansa in Joffrey's death.

But what she was proposing would not do.

He was about to say something, when Cersei said something else.

"You may write to Tyrion and tell him that his foolish lie will not work on me. I know Jon Snow did not write that letter."

"What letter?"

"A most foolish one written in Tyrion's hand but supposedly from Jon Snow, where in which it alleges that Visarys the dragon is really Visarys Targaryen and that he wants me to be his queen. It claims we are all in danger."

Jaime remembered that odd bit Sansa was going on about, when Visarys tried to take off with her the other night. She said she had seen Rhaegar Targaryen under the water instead of the slain dragon.

And even Tyrion's imagination was not that wild. Not even drunk.

"I think I will write to our brother and tell him just that." Jaime replied.

"Yes, well you do that! I just want to know what happened to MY son! You certainly don't give a damn!"

"You never wanted me to know him. You said it was too dangerous. He was Robert's and if you want to continue to rule, then you should keep remembering that. And as for Sansa...will her and Tyrion be allowed to return to Winterfell? Or do you plan to keep threatening them every couple of months?"

Cersei tilted her head and stared at him.

"What is that **YOU** want, Jaime? I mean I am returning Sansa to Jon Snow. Jon Snow is at Dragonstone with our stupid brother. You are now free of your obligation to marry her, since Tyrion will not be executed."

Jaime suddenly squeezed her shoulders again-hard!

"Do you take me for a fool?! **WHY** is Balon Greyjoy here? I heard it was so his men could invade Dragonstone and bring Tyrion, or his head alone, back to you? Now if that is the case, my sweet sister, then that puts Sansa in a very precarious situation."

"No it does not." Cersei said, gritting her teeth and ignoring the pain. "She will be free to raise her children with the help of her bastard brother and other members of her family. She will be alive. I would think you would be glad that I was granting her that."

Jaime slowly let go of her.

"How could you do that to our brother? How?"

"Write to him, Jaime. Warn him. It won't matter because it's too late. Lord Greyjoy sent a raven hours ago to his men to descend on Dragonstone. Now leave me so I can mourn the loss of my baby boy!" she hissed.

Jaime backed away, then turned and left the throne room. Yes, he had protected him and Sansa from being suspects in Joffrey's death. But it hadn't helped. Not really. Because he would have no choice now but to leave King's Landing with Sansa. And he knew who he would have to contact, to help him with this task.

* * *

**DRAGONSTONE-**

Tyrion decided that there was only one way he was going to be able to return to Sansa and their unborn little girl.

He would have to ask the Red Woman for help.

Bronn managed to get him down to the dungeons, without alerting Jon Snow to his whereabouts. Melisandre looked as if she has actually been expecting him.

"Lord Lannister. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Tyrion looked around the dank cell. It actually looked better than the one he had been in at King's Landing!

"I don't have much time."

"No, you probably don't." Melisandre answered calmly.

"I need to return to King's Landing before my whole life is ripped apart! I cannot go by boat. I need Visarys to return me there as a dragon."

Melisandre did not react to the news that Tyrion knew about Visarys. Tyrion continued on.

"I know you have some sort of arrangement with him."

"And you want me to tell him to take you back?" Melisandre asked, raising a brow, "what would I gain from doing that?"

"My eternal gratitude?" Tyrion asked hopefully. Melisandre grinned!

"I think you know what you can do with that, my little friend."

Tyrion moved closer to her.

"I have already told Visarys that I would swear my allegiance to him. I am willing to do whatever I can to wrest the throne from my sister! Anyone has to be better than her!"

Melisandre peered at him.

"I do believe you believe that."

"I do! Just talk to him! My God, he's planning on making Cersei his queen! She had something to do with Robert Baratheon's death, I have no doubt! He'd be a fool to let that woman into his bed!"

"I agree. I have a counter proposal for you, Lord Lannister: I will turn you into a Shadow. That will enable you to return to King's Landing. But...for a price."

Tyrion blinked.

He then replied.

"You want me to become one of those shadow creatures? For how long? Will this spell go away after I get to King's Landing?"

"It will go away once you've killed your sister. That is the price I want paid for helping you. I want your sister dead."

Tyrion clenched his jaw. Was it so terrible to believe that one would be better off with a dead sibling? Cersei would never stop tormenting him, Sansa or their daughter-to-be.

"I couldn't agree more," Tyrion finally replied, "I will kill Cersei as one of those shadow creatures. But what about Visarys Targaryen? He will realize your part in this once I appear as one of those things."

"He will probably be most unhappy. But he knows that he has a better chance of not ending up like his father, with me by his side. And he cannot have Cersei and me." she answered casually.

"Fine. Then let this be done. I have to make sure that my wife stays **MY** wife and does not become my brother's." Tyrion told her.


End file.
